Can biochar be used as a seed coating to improve native plant germination and growth in arid conditions?

Williams, Mary I.; Dumroese, R. Kasten; Page‐Dumroese, Deborah S.; Hardegree, Stuart P.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.09.011

Cited by 27 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…If direct seeding is chosen, then seed priming (for optimal germination) and/or coating (to protect seeds from predators, desiccation and diseases) is beneficial (Madsen et al, 2012; Pedrini et al, 2020; Williams et al, 2016). The number of seeds required is much higher than the target number of trees, since conversion rates of seeds to established seedlings are usually very low and are highly species‐dependent (James et al, 2011) and site‐dependent (Freitas et al, 2019).…”

Section: The 10 Golden Rulesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits

Sacco

Hardwick

Blakesley³

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

401

300

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Urgent solutions to global climate change are needed. Ambitious tree‐planting initiatives, many already underway, aim to sequester enormous quantities of carbon to partly compensate for anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which are a major cause of rising global temperatures. However, tree planting that is poorly planned and executed could actually increase CO2 emissions and have long‐term, deleterious impacts on biodiversity, landscapes and livelihoods. Here, we highlight the main environmental risks of large‐scale tree planting and propose 10 golden rules, based on some of the most recent ecological research, to implement forest ecosystem restoration that maximizes rates of both carbon sequestration and biodiversity recovery while improving livelihoods. These are as follows: (1) Protect existing forest first; (2) Work together (involving all stakeholders); (3) Aim to maximize biodiversity recovery to meet multiple goals; (4) Select appropriate areas for restoration; (5) Use natural regeneration wherever possible; (6) Select species to maximize biodiversity; (7) Use resilient plant material (with appropriate genetic variability and provenance); (8) Plan ahead for infrastructure, capacity and seed supply; (9) Learn by doing (using an adaptive management approach); and (10) Make it pay (ensuring the economic sustainability of the project). We focus on the design of long‐term strategies to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises and support livelihood needs. We emphasize the role of local communities as sources of indigenous knowledge, and the benefits they could derive from successful reforestation that restores ecosystem functioning and delivers a diverse range of forest products and services. While there is no simple and universal recipe for forest restoration, it is crucial to build upon the currently growing public and private interest in this topic, to ensure interventions provide effective, long‐term carbon sinks and maximize benefits for biodiversity and people.

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Section: The 10 Golden Rulesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits

Sacco

Hardwick

Blakesley³

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

401

300

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, the effectiveness of these techniques can vary between sites, years, species, coating formulations, application approaches, and the plant demographic stage being evaluated (Williams et al ; Davies et al ; Kildisheva et al ).…”

Section: Seed Coatingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed enhancement: getting seeds restoration‐ready

Pedrini

Balestrazzi

Madsen

et al. 2020

Restoration Ecology

Self Cite

106

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Seed enhancement technologies such as seed priming and seed coating, developed by the agricultural seed industry, are standard procedures for the majority of crop and horticultural seeds. However, such technologies are only just being evaluated for native plant seeds despite the potential benefits of such treatments for improving restoration effectiveness. Key approaches applicable to native seed include: (1) seed priming, where seeds are hydrated under controlled conditions, and (2) seed coating, in which external materials and compounds are applied onto seeds through a diversity of treatments. These technologies are commonly employed to accelerate and synchronize germination and to improve seed vigor, seedling emergence, establishment, and to facilitate mechanized seed delivery to site, through standardizing seed size and shape. Seed enhancement technologies have now been tested on native seeds to overcome logistical and ecological barriers in restoration. However, further research is needed to extend the application of seed enhancements to a broader array of species, ecosystems, and regions as well as to evaluate new and innovative approaches such as the incorporation of beneficial soil microorganisms and plant growth regulators in the coatings. As techniques in native seed enhancement develop, these approaches need to be capable of being scaled‐up to provide the tonnages of seed required for global restoration.

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“…According to these characteristics of the natural coating of seeds, mainly different agents are used for seed coating, such as protectants, micronutrients (Williams et al 2016), microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) (Rocha et al 2019b). The uptake and translocation of agent compounds into seeds can be performed through imbibing seeds in water or emerging radicle and root systems.…”

Section: Pelletingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbial seed coating: an attractive tool for sustainable agriculture

Paravar

Piri

Balouchi

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Today, the issue of crop yield and quality is one of the many challenges facing societies. Residues of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, hormonal compounds, and preservatives have caused many environmental issues. It is necessary to reduce these environmental crises by paying attention to the development of sustainable agriculture. Seed coating is considered one of the best methods to promote sustainable agriculture where the physical and physiological properties of seeds can be improved to facilitate planting, increase growth indices and alleviate abiotic and biotic stresses. Several methods of seed coating (e.g., dry powder coating, seed dressing, encrusting, seed pelleting, and film coating) are used to attain good application uniformity and adherence in the seed coating process. Seed coating has been tested in seeds of various plant species (e.g., vegetables, medicinal and other plants with small seeds) with different dimensions, forms, textures, and germination types. Plant beneficial microorganisms (PBM), such as rhizobia, bacteria, and fungi inoculated via seed inoculation can increase seed germination, plant performance and tolerance across biotic (e.g., pathogens and pests) and abiotic stress (e.g., salt, drought, and heavy metals) while reducing the use of agrochemical inputs. In this review, the microbial seed coating process and their ability to increase seed performance and protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses are well discussed and highlighted in sustainable agricultural systems.

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Can biochar be used as a seed coating to improve native plant germination and growth in arid conditions?

Cited by 27 publications

References 34 publications

Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits

Ten golden rules for reforestation to optimize carbon sequestration, biodiversity recovery and livelihood benefits

Seed enhancement: getting seeds restoration‐ready

Microbial seed coating: an attractive tool for sustainable agriculture

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