Biochar-Mediated Control of Metabolites and Other Physiological Responses in Water-Stressed Leptocohloa fusca

Abstract

We investigated biochar-induced drought tolerance in Leptocohloa fusca (Kallar grass) by exploring the plant defense system at physiological level. L. fusca plants were exposed to drought stress (100%, 70%, and 30% field capacity), and biochar (BC), as an organic soil amendment was applied in two concentrations (15 and 30 mg kg−1 soil) to induce drought tolerance. Our results demonstrated that drought restricted the growth of L. fusca by inhibiting shoot and root (fresh and dry) weight, total chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate. Under drought stress, the uptake of essential nutrients was also limited due to lower water supply, which ultimately affected metabolites including amino and organic acids, and soluble sugars. In addition, drought stress induced oxidative stress, which is evidenced by the higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide ion (O2−), hydroxyl ion (OH−), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The current study revealed that stress-induced oxidative injury is not a linear path, since the excessive production of lipid peroxidation led to the accumulation of methylglyoxal (MG), a member of reactive carbonyl species (RCS), which ultimately caused cell injury. As a consequence of oxidative-stress induction, the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA–GSH) pathway, followed by a series of reactions, was activated by the plants to reduce ROS-induced oxidative damage. Furthermore, biochar considerably improved plant growth and development by mediating metabolites and soil physio-chemical status.

Cobalt and Titanium Alleviate the Methylglyoxal-Induced Oxidative Stress in Pennisetum divisum Seedlings under Saline Conditions

“…With limitations to N-containing nutrients the over-accumulation of Cl − and excessive production of MG indicates the complex role of sugars in salt-sensitive P. divisum plants. Some previous studies on different plants, such as Hordeum vulagre L. [57], Solanum lcopersicum [46], Triticum aestivum L. [58], Corchorus olitorius [59], and Leptocohloa fusca [60], studied the MG-induced oxidative stress and its detoxification mechanisms under salinity and drought stress, respectively. However, to the best of our knowledge no studies were found on the exogenous Co and Ti applicationalleviating MG-induced oxidative stress in plants.…”

Long-Term Nutrient Cycle in Improved Grain Yield of Dryland Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Hydrological Process of Plant Ecosystem Distribution in the Loess Plateau of China

“…Excessive N application would make the soil water consumption of dryland wheat too high before jointing, and the soil water storage in shallow and middle layers was insufficient, which would affect the sowing of wheat after jointing and lead to yield reduction [ 17 ]. The relationship between precipitation and yield in the Weibei drought source is shown in Figure 1 , and it is also presented that by using rainfall in the fallow period to predict yield and guide nitrogen application could reduce N by N180 kg ha −1 and ensure stable yield.…”