Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i>
The application of biochar is mostly used to improve soil fertility, water retention capacity and nutrient uptake. The present study was conducted in order to study the impact of biochar at water deficiency conditions on the physiological and biochemical processes of <i>Medicago ciliaris</i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/18/2411 |
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| author | Jihed Gharred Walid Derbali Imed Derbali Mounawer Badri Chedly Abdelly Inès Slama Hans-Werner Koyro |
| author_facet | Jihed Gharred Walid Derbali Imed Derbali Mounawer Badri Chedly Abdelly Inès Slama Hans-Werner Koyro |
| author_sort | Jihed Gharred |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The application of biochar is mostly used to improve soil fertility, water retention capacity and nutrient uptake. The present study was conducted in order to study the impact of biochar at water deficiency conditions on the physiological and biochemical processes of <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> seedlings. Seedlings were cultivated under greenhouse conditions in pots filled with a mixture of soil and sand mixed in the presence or absence of 2% biochar. Plants of uniform size were subjected after a pretreatment phase (72 days) either to low (36% water holding capacity, water potential low) or high soil water potential (60% water holding capacity, water potential high). Pots were weighed every day to control and maintain a stable water holding capacity. In <i>Medicago ciliaris</i>, drought led to a significant reduction in plant growth and an increase in the root/shoot ratio. The growth response was accompanied by a decreased stomatal conductance and a reduction of the net CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation rate and water use efficiency. The associated higher risk of ROS production was indicated by a high level of lipid peroxidation, high antioxidant activities and high proline accumulation. Soil amendment with biochar enhanced the growth significantly and supported the photosynthetic apparatus of <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> species by boosting chlorophyll content and A<sub>net</sub> both under well and insufficient watered plants and water use efficiency in case of water shortage. This increase of water use efficiency was correlated with the biochar-mediated decrease of the MDA and proline contents in the leaves buffering the impact of drought on photosynthetic apparatus by increasing the activity of enzymatic antioxidants SOD, APX, GPOX and GR and non-enzymatic antioxidants, such as AsA and DHAsA, giving the overall picture of a moderate stress response. These results confirmed the hypothesis that biochar application significantly reduces both the degree of stress and the negative impact of oxidative stress on <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> plants. These results implied that this species could be suitable as a cash pasture plant in the development of agriculture on dry wasteland in a future world of water shortages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:47:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a62435f742ce447dbc189c1bdb73b3a6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:47:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-a62435f742ce447dbc189c1bdb73b3a62023-11-23T18:27:27ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-09-011118241110.3390/plants11182411Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i>Jihed Gharred0Walid Derbali1Imed Derbali2Mounawer Badri3Chedly Abdelly4Inès Slama5Hans-Werner Koyro6Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyInstitute of Plant Ecology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyInstitute of Plant Ecology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyLaboratory of Extremophile Plants, Center of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif 2084, TunisiaLaboratory of Extremophile Plants, Center of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif 2084, TunisiaLaboratory of Extremophile Plants, Center of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif 2084, TunisiaInstitute of Plant Ecology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, GermanyThe application of biochar is mostly used to improve soil fertility, water retention capacity and nutrient uptake. The present study was conducted in order to study the impact of biochar at water deficiency conditions on the physiological and biochemical processes of <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> seedlings. Seedlings were cultivated under greenhouse conditions in pots filled with a mixture of soil and sand mixed in the presence or absence of 2% biochar. Plants of uniform size were subjected after a pretreatment phase (72 days) either to low (36% water holding capacity, water potential low) or high soil water potential (60% water holding capacity, water potential high). Pots were weighed every day to control and maintain a stable water holding capacity. In <i>Medicago ciliaris</i>, drought led to a significant reduction in plant growth and an increase in the root/shoot ratio. The growth response was accompanied by a decreased stomatal conductance and a reduction of the net CO<sub>2</sub> assimilation rate and water use efficiency. The associated higher risk of ROS production was indicated by a high level of lipid peroxidation, high antioxidant activities and high proline accumulation. Soil amendment with biochar enhanced the growth significantly and supported the photosynthetic apparatus of <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> species by boosting chlorophyll content and A<sub>net</sub> both under well and insufficient watered plants and water use efficiency in case of water shortage. This increase of water use efficiency was correlated with the biochar-mediated decrease of the MDA and proline contents in the leaves buffering the impact of drought on photosynthetic apparatus by increasing the activity of enzymatic antioxidants SOD, APX, GPOX and GR and non-enzymatic antioxidants, such as AsA and DHAsA, giving the overall picture of a moderate stress response. These results confirmed the hypothesis that biochar application significantly reduces both the degree of stress and the negative impact of oxidative stress on <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> plants. These results implied that this species could be suitable as a cash pasture plant in the development of agriculture on dry wasteland in a future world of water shortages.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/18/2411drought<i>M. ciliaris</i>biochargrowthphotosynthesisantioxidant capacity |
| spellingShingle | Jihed Gharred Walid Derbali Imed Derbali Mounawer Badri Chedly Abdelly Inès Slama Hans-Werner Koyro Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> Plants drought <i>M. ciliaris</i> biochar growth photosynthesis antioxidant capacity |
| title | Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> |
| title_full | Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> |
| title_short | Impact of Biochar Application at Water Shortage on Biochemical and Physiological Processes in <i>Medicago ciliaris</i> |
| title_sort | impact of biochar application at water shortage on biochemical and physiological processes in i medicago ciliaris i |
| topic | drought <i>M. ciliaris</i> biochar growth photosynthesis antioxidant capacity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/18/2411 |
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