Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance

Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split...

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Autores principales: Zhong, Shangzhi, Zhang, Xiang, Hou, Pengxin, Ouyang, Jianghan, Rakotoson, Tovohery, Zheng, Congcong, Tao, Qibo, Sun, Juan
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177315
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author Zhong, Shangzhi
Zhang, Xiang
Hou, Pengxin
Ouyang, Jianghan
Rakotoson, Tovohery
Zheng, Congcong
Tao, Qibo
Sun, Juan
author_browse Hou, Pengxin
Ouyang, Jianghan
Rakotoson, Tovohery
Sun, Juan
Tao, Qibo
Zhang, Xiang
Zheng, Congcong
Zhong, Shangzhi
author_facet Zhong, Shangzhi
Zhang, Xiang
Hou, Pengxin
Ouyang, Jianghan
Rakotoson, Tovohery
Zheng, Congcong
Tao, Qibo
Sun, Juan
author_sort Zhong, Shangzhi
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split-root pot experiment was implemented to investigate the effect of biochar amendments (WSB: wheat straw biochar; CSB: corn straw biochar) and irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, 70 % of FI on the entire root zone; PRDI: partial root-zone drying irrigation, only irrigating half of the root zone with soil water content maintained at the same level as that under DI) on the leaf morpho-physiological traits and water use efficiency of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance (gs), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13Cleaf), and net CO2 assimilation rate (A) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA]leaf), resulting in lower biomass accumulation. In contrast, biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA]leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ13Cleaf. Notably, PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE (A/gs) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ13Cleaf, thereby increasing plant-scale WUE (WUEplant) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment. Overall, co-application of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation facilitates more efficient and ecologically sustainable alfalfa management in salt-affected soil. Future studies should investigate long-term effects, underlying mechanisms, and large-scale applicability across diverse environmental contexts.
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spelling CGSpace1773152025-11-12T04:58:31Z Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance Zhong, Shangzhi Zhang, Xiang Hou, Pengxin Ouyang, Jianghan Rakotoson, Tovohery Zheng, Congcong Tao, Qibo Sun, Juan deficit irrigation biochar water-use efficiency Medicago sativa Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split-root pot experiment was implemented to investigate the effect of biochar amendments (WSB: wheat straw biochar; CSB: corn straw biochar) and irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, 70 % of FI on the entire root zone; PRDI: partial root-zone drying irrigation, only irrigating half of the root zone with soil water content maintained at the same level as that under DI) on the leaf morpho-physiological traits and water use efficiency of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance (gs), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13Cleaf), and net CO2 assimilation rate (A) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA]leaf), resulting in lower biomass accumulation. In contrast, biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA]leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ13Cleaf. Notably, PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE (A/gs) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ13Cleaf, thereby increasing plant-scale WUE (WUEplant) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment. Overall, co-application of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation facilitates more efficient and ecologically sustainable alfalfa management in salt-affected soil. Future studies should investigate long-term effects, underlying mechanisms, and large-scale applicability across diverse environmental contexts. 2025-10 2025-10-24T07:28:39Z 2025-10-24T07:28:39Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177315 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Zhong, S., Zhang, X., Hou, P., Ouyang, J., Rakotoson, T., Zheng, C., Tao, Q., Sun, J. (2025). Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance. Environmental and Experimental Botany, Volume 238, 106244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106244.
spellingShingle deficit irrigation
biochar
water-use efficiency
Medicago sativa
Zhong, Shangzhi
Zhang, Xiang
Hou, Pengxin
Ouyang, Jianghan
Rakotoson, Tovohery
Zheng, Congcong
Tao, Qibo
Sun, Juan
Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title_full Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title_fullStr Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title_full_unstemmed Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title_short Biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under partial root-zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
title_sort biochar amendment enhances water use efficiency in alfalfa medicago sativa l under partial root zone drying irrigation by modulating abscisic acid signaling and photosynthetic performance
topic deficit irrigation
biochar
water-use efficiency
Medicago sativa
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177315
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