Biochar augmentation improves ectomycorrhizal colonisation, plant growth and soil fertility

Verma, Balwant; Reddy, S. M.

doi:10.1071/sr20067

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 58 publications

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“…Improvement in the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crops can not only reduce planting costs, but also reduce energy consumption related to chemical fertilizer production, which fundamentally alleviates global climate change [ 58 , 59 ]. Combined application of biochar and chemical nitrogen fertilizer (e.g., urea) can effectively raise crop yield and NUE by slowing down nitrogen release, regulating microbial diversity, and stimulating nitrification while inhibiting denitrification, as compared with applying chemical fertilizer as the sole nitrogen source [ 60 – 62 ]. There are many studies focused on the increased nitrogen agronomic efficiency resulted from the improved soil nitrogen availability with biochar application, but there are few reports on molecular signals or root phenotypes related to nitrogen availability increase in rhizosphere [ 63 , 64 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochar induced improvement in root system architecture enhances nutrient assimilation by cotton plant seedlings

et al. 2021

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Background Raising nitrogen use efficiency of crops by improving root system architecture is highly essential not only to reduce costs of agricultural production but also to mitigate climate change. The physiological mechanisms of how biochar affects nitrogen assimilation by crop seedlings have not been well elucidated. Results Here, we report changes in root system architecture, activities of the key enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation, and cytokinin (CTK) at the seedling stage of cotton with reduced urea usage and biochar application at different soil layers (0–10 cm and 10–20 cm). Active root absorption area, fresh weight, and nitrogen agronomic efficiency increased significantly when urea usage was reduced by 25% and biochar was applied in the surface soil layer. Glutamine oxoglutarate amino transferase (GOGAT) activity was closely related to the application depth of urea/biochar, and it increased when urea/biochar was applied in the 0–10 cm layer. Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity (GPT) increased significantly as well. Nitrate reductase (NR) activity was stimulated by CTK in the very fine roots but inhibited in the fine roots. In addition, AMT1;1, gdh3, and gdh2 were significantly up-regulated in the very fine roots when urea usage was reduced by 25% and biochar was applied. Conclusion Nitrogen assimilation efficiency was significantly affected when urea usage was reduced by 25% and biochar was applied in the surface soil layer at the seedling stage of cotton. The co-expression of gdh3 and gdh2 in the fine roots increased nitrogen agronomic efficiency. The synergistic expression of the ammonium transporter gene and gdh3 suggests that biochar may be beneficial to amino acid metabolism.

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