Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth

Abstract

Agriculture has changed dramatically due to mechanization, new technologies, and the increased use of chemical fertilizers. These factors maximize production and reduce food prices, but may also enhance soil degradation. Sustainable agricultural practices include altering crop varieties and the use of soil amendments to increase production, improve irrigation, and more effectively use fertilizers. Ancient and modern durum wheat varieties have been shown to be tolerant to conditions caused by climate change and increase production. Biochar soil amendments have been reported to increase crop yields, soil fertility, and to promote plant growth. However, results are variable depending on biomass source, application conditions, and crop species. This study evaluates the crop response of two contrasting durum wheat varieties on an Eutric Cambisol amended with beech wood biochar. Wheat varieties used are Saragolla, an ancient variety traditionally used in Southern Italy, and Svevo, a widely used commercial variety. The effect of biochar soil amendment on the expression of genes involved in the germination of these two varieties of wheat was determined using RT-PCR. The content of hormones such as gibberellins (GAs), auxins (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) was determined. Results demonstrate that biochar had a stimulatory effect on the growth performances of Svevo and Saragolla cultivars at the molecular level. This correlated to the promoted transcription of genes involved in the control of plant development. Overall, the presence of biochar as soil amendment improved the germination rates of both varieties, but the ancient wheat cultivar was better suited to the Eutric Cambisol than the commercial variety. This trend was also observed in un-amended pots, which may indicate better adaptability of the ancient wheat cultivar to withstand environmental stress than the commercial variety.

Preparation and Characterization of Biochar and Their Effect on Cell Division

“…The current data is in a line with Racioppi et al (2019) who evaluated the response of wheat to biochar from wood in Italy. The authors detected the impact of biochar soil amendment on gene expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).…”

Impact of Resorcinol and Biochar Application on the Growth Attributes, Metabolite Contents, and Antioxidant Systems of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

“…Fahad et al and Voß et al also observed similar improvements in phytohormones in their respective studies. Application of biochar spray led to an increase in the quantities of IAA (0.94 μg/g), GA (49.1 μg/g), SA (33.2 mg/g), and ABA (30.6 mg/g) in tomato plants when applied at a dosage of 30 mg/L. , Racioppi et al observed a significant increase in the concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) as a result of the application of biochar . The concentrations of ABA were found to be substantially lower compared to the concentrations of IAA and GA.…”

Biochars as culture medium additives influence organogenic potential of plant explants through changes in endogenous phytohormone and carbohydrate contents in Daphne species

“…Metabolic responses of cultured organs are modified by enhanced adsorption of toxic metabolites and gradual release of growth-promoting compounds (Thomas 2008). Changes in transcription of development-related genes (Racioppi et al 2019) and rearrangements of endogenous phytohormone profile (von Aderkas 2002; Farhangi-Abriz and Torabian 2018) affect organogenic potential of explants. Our study shows that not only commercially available charcoal, but also self-produced biochars and their activated variants were capable of inducing changes in growth and proliferation capacity.…”