Biochar Enhances Soil–Plant–Microbe Interactions in Saline Soil

Authors

  • Tazeen Fatima Khan

    Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • Md Golam Sarwar Anik

    Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • Sonia Hossain

    Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v7i3.10503
Received: 14 June 2025 | Revised: 23 June 2025 | Accepted: 01 July 2025 | Published Online: 8 August 2025

Abstract

A controlled pot experiment was carried out to examine the interactive effects of salinity stress and biochar on the growth, nutrient uptake, and soil microbial dynamics of Lablab purpureus. Results showed that wheat husk biochar significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced plant growth parameters compared to controls. Plant height increased by c. 53%, root length by 37%, fresh weight by 125%, and dry weight by 92% in wheat husk char treated soil under non-saline conditions. Wheat husk char also significantly increased pod number and node count per plant by c. 42% and 28% respectively. Nutrient analysis revealed higher concentrations of N (~6%), P (~0.3%), and K (~2%) in wheat husk biochar treatments, while salinity reduced nutrient uptake across all treatments. Although the number of flowers increased by c. 75%, the difference was not statistically significant. Although 16S rRNA gene copy numbers did not show significant changes in biochar treatments, enhanced microbial function indicated improved nutrient cycling and ecosystem functionality. Overall, the findings suggest that biochar can mitigate the adverse effects of salinity by improving plant physiological traits and stimulating microbial activity. This highlights biochar's potential as an ecological tool for sustainable agriculture, biodiversity enhancement, and ecosystem restoration in saline affected areas.

Keywords:

Salinity; Biochar; Nutrient Uptake; Microbial Dynamics; Plant; Enzyme; Ecosystem; Biodiversity

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How to Cite

Khan, T. F., Anik, M. G. S., & Hossain, S. (2025). Biochar Enhances Soil–Plant–Microbe Interactions in Saline Soil. Research in Ecology, 7(3), 254–267. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v7i3.10503

Issue

Vol. 7, Iss. 3 (August 2025)

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Tazeen Fatima Khan, Md Golam Sarwar Anik, Sonia Hossain

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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