Vermicompost leachate reduces some negative effects of salt stress in pomegranate

Abstract

Purpose Growth and productivity of plant crops are negatively affected by salt stress. Vermicompost leachate (VCL) has beneficial effects on plant growth in several different ways. This experiment was conducted to investigate the potential of VCL for raising the tolerance of pomegranate against salinity. Methods A pot experiment was organized to analyze some physiological attributes and antioxidant activities of two Iranian pomegranate cultivars under different concentrations of NaCl with or without VCL. Results Salinity negatively affected the growth properties of pomegranate, while foliar spray of VCL-induced salt tolerance by reducing the accumulation of Na ? in the seedlings. Leaf area and shoot and root fresh and dry weight of VCL-treated pomegranate plants showed a significant increase regardless of whether the seedling growth was under non-saline or saline conditions. Chlorophyll loss and reduced photosynthesis efficiency caused by salinity were also ameliorated using VCL. Foliar application of VCL also improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes and caused a reduction in oxidative stress and electrolyte leakage. Conclusions These results suggested that VCL could alleviate the damage caused by salt stress in pomegranate by limiting the agglomeration of Na ? and amending the activities of antioxidant enzymes by which the efficiency of plant increases.

Agro-environmental characterization of biochar issued from crop wastes in the humid forest zone of Cameroon

“…Studies have shown that salt stress or salinity negatively influence the growth and productivity of crops by reducing the accumulation of Na + in the seedlings, increasing chlorophyll loss and reduced photosynthesis efficiency (Hasanpour et al 2014;Siamak et al 2017). The low EC value in the biochar (Fig.…”

“…None of the biochars had salinity levels that could reduce transportation of water and nutrients into the plants when added to the soil. As depicted by Hasanpour et al (2014) and Siamak et al (2017), addition of these biochar to saline soils will eliminate potassium and phosphorus deficiency problems; reduce Na + agglomeration and enhance the activities of antioxidant enzymes thereby increasing the nutrient uptake by plant roots. Table 5 presents the correlation matrix among chemical properties of crop wastes derived biochar.…”

“…Studies have shown that biochar has physiochemical properties suitable for soil improvement and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the environment (Kumer et al 2015). When added to acidic soils, biochar like other organic fertilizers (green manure, animal manure and compost) influences soil characteristics such as soil pH and bulk density (Djousse et al 2016;Siamak et al 2017). Studies have shown that adding biochar to soils increases soil organic matter (SOM) and organic carbon which then enhances nutrient supply to plants and promote plant growth (Weyers and Spokas 2014;Dotaniya et al 2016).…”

Effect of Vermicompost Supplemented by Foliar Application of Silicate on Marjoram Plants Grown in Saline Soil

“…Therefore, cultivation in saline soil is a big challenge for those engaged in agriculture. The physiological and biochemical processes in the plant are disrupted when plant exposes to salt stress [1], [2]. Two characteristics distinguish these effects on crop growth: (1) high osmotic pressure of soil solution restricts water absorption by plants.…”

“…Two characteristics distinguish these effects on crop growth: (1) high osmotic pressure of soil solution restricts water absorption by plants. (2) Specific impacts of some elements (Na, Cl, B) when present in high concentrations [3,4]. The high osmotic potential of the soil solution, nutrient imbalance, and specific ion toxicity are the salinity consequences that have a detrimental effect on plant growth [5].…”