Combined application of biochar and partial root-zone drying irrigation improves water relations and water use efficiency of cotton plants under salt stress

Jingxiang Hou; Xuezhi Liu; Jiarui Zhang; Zhenhua Wei; Yingying Ma; Heng Wan; Jie Liu; Bingjing Cui; Yuzheng Zong; Yiting Chen; Kehao Liang; Fulai Liu

Agricultural Water Management (Dec 2023)

Combined application of biochar and partial root-zone drying irrigation improves water relations and water use efficiency of cotton plants under salt stress

Jingxiang Hou,
Xuezhi Liu,
Jiarui Zhang,
Zhenhua Wei,
Yingying Ma,
Heng Wan,
Jie Liu,
Bingjing Cui,
Yuzheng Zong,
Yiting Chen,
Kehao Liang,
Fulai Liu

Affiliations

Jingxiang Hou: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Department of Plant and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Alle 13, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Xuezhi Liu: School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Jiarui Zhang: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Zhenhua Wei: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Yingying Ma: School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710129, China
Heng Wan: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Soil Physics and Land Management Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, Wageningen 6700 AA, Netherlands
Jie Liu: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Bingjing Cui: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Weihui Road 23, 712100 Yangling, Shaanxi, China; Department of Plant and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Alle 13, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
Yuzheng Zong: College of Agriculture, Shanxi Agricultrual University, Taigu 030801, Shanxi, China
Yiting Chen: Department of Plant and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Alle 13, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark
Kehao Liang: Department of Plant and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Alle 13, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark
Fulai Liu: Department of Plant and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Alle 13, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 290
p. 108584

Abstract

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Reduced irrigation in combination with biochar application can improve stomatal anatomy, water relations and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), thus having a positive effect on the alleviation of salinity and drought stresses. A split-root pot experiment was executed to explore the effects of two biochar applications (WSP: wheat straw biochar; SWP: soft wood biochar) in combination with three irrigation strategies (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, PRD: partial root-zone drying irrigation) on stomatal anatomy, water relations and WUEi of cotton plants under normal soil (S0, EC=0.36 dS m-1) and saline soil (S1, EC=16.55 dS m-1). The results revealed that both salinity and drought stresses negatively affected plant water relations and reduced stomatal conductance, carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C), stomatal size (SS) and hydraulic conductance (Kl) while increased leaf abscisic acid (ABA) concentration ([ABA]leaf). However, biochar amendment under salt stress significantly decreased [ABA]leaf while improved leaf water relations, increased Kl, stomatal density (SD), SS, Δ13C and maximum stomatal conductance (gsmax). Meanwhile, compared with FI and DI, PRD plants had greater SD, gsmax, and WUEi but lowered stomatal conductance (gs). Among all treatments, the combined application of WSP and PRD significantly increased SD and gsmax, improved leaf water relations, Kl and [ABA]leaf and WUEi. It is concluded that the altered stomatal features caused by the biochar and irrigation treatments are associated with changes in [ABA]leaf and Kl, and have a major role in affecting plant hydraulic integrity and water use efficiency of cotton exposed to salinity stress.

Published in Agricultural Water Management

ISSN: 1873-2283 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Agriculture (General); Social Sciences: Industries. Land use. Labor: Special industries and trades: Agricultural industries
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/agricultural-water-management

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