Sulfur-Enriched Biochar Soil Amendment Enhances Tolerance to Drought Stress in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Under Saline Soil Conditions

Howladar, Saad M; Semida, Wael; Abd ElMageed, Taia Ali; Kutby, Abeer; Howladar, Majed

doi:10.21608/ejss.2024.324682.1868

Sulfur-Enriched Biochar Soil Amendment Enhances Tolerance to Drought Stress in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Under Saline Soil Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

² Horticulture Department, Fayom Uni.

³ soil and water department, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University

⁴ Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

10.21608/ejss.2024.324682.1868

Abstract

AGRICULTURAL sustainability and crop yield are seriously threatened by drought stress, especially in areas with limited water resources. In this study, we investigated the potential of sulfur-enriched biochar (S-ACB) as a soil amendment to mitigate the negative impacts of drought stress on plants (Vicia faba). Our results revealed that deficit irrigation substantially impaired plant water status, photosynthetic efficiency, and nutrient acquisition, ultimately resulting in a decrease in the growth and yield components. However, the incorporation of S-ACB into the soil emerged as a powerful strategy to counteract these detrimental effects. S-ACB played a pivotal role in enhancing plant water status, improving photosynthetic efficiency, and facilitating nutrient uptake. Notably, the positive effects of S-ACB extended beyond mere stress mitigation, as it enabled Vicia faba plants to achieve growth and yield comparable to or even surpassing those of well-irrigated plants. Furthermore, S-ACB application-maintained leaf nutrient status and reduced the Na+/K+ ratio, highlighting its potential to sustain nutrient balance under drought stress conditions. This study highlights the potential use of sulfur-enriched biochar as an efficient and long-lasting soil supplement to increase Vicia faba plants' resistance to drought. The significant improvements in plant water status, photosynthetic efficiency, growth, yield, and nutrient uptake indicate the potential of S-ACB to address the challenges posed by drought stress in agriculture. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of strategies for sustainable crop production in water-scarce environments, emphasizing the importance of biochar as a tool to enhance resilience and productivity

Keywords