Impact of Acacia-derived biochar to mitigate salinity stress in Zea mays L. by morpho-physiological and biochemical indices

Abstract

Climate change has caused many challenges to soil ecosystems, including soil salinity. Consequently, many strategies are advised to mitigate this issue. In this context, biochar is acknowledged as a useful addition that can alleviate the detrimental impacts of salt stress on plants. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of different levels of salt (Control; T0 0 gl −1 , T1; 1.50, and T2; 3 gl −1 ) and biochar addition rates (A0; 0 g kg −1 , A1; 40 g kg −1 , and A2; 80 g kg −1 ) on the agronomic, physiological, and biochemical responses of corn plants. The results of our study showed a significant increase in the biomass of corn plants when exposed to salt stress and treated with 40 g kg −1 of biochar. The result underscores the significant function of Acacia -biochar in mitigating salt toxicity. The application of A1 biochar at a specified rate mitigated the adverse effects of salt-induced oxidative stress by augmenting the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). Furthermore, the utilization of biochar led to an increase in chlorophyll b concentrations in maize plants subjected to saline water treatment. Biochar is generally considered an efficient method for alleviating the adverse effects of salinity. To enhance plant growth and development while mitigating salinity-induced toxicity, the application of biochar in saline soils must be implemented appropriately.