Combined effect of biochar and seed priming on soil fertility and physio-biochemical traits of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) seedlings under drought stress
Plant and Soil, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s11104-026-08860-6
- Dergi Adı: Plant and Soil
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, Environment Index, Geobase, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Natural Science Collection (ProQuest), Biological Science Database (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Drought, Melatonin, Rice husk biochar, Seed priming, Zea maysL
- Ondokuz Mayıs Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Aims: This study evaluates the combined effects of biochar and seed priming on soil properties and physio-biochemical responses of sweet corn seedlings under different drought conditions. Methods: Three irrigation regimes were used to simulate drought stress: 100%, 75%, and 50% field capacity. Seeds were hydroprimed (HP) with distilled water, primed with 100 µM melatonin (MP), or control, and sown in pots with or without rice husk biochar (1%, w/w). Plant growth attributes and soil fertility were assessed. Results: Drought stress significantly suppressed growth attributes. Compared with FC100, FC50 reduced fresh and dry biomass by 17.1% and 18.4%, respectively, while WUE decreased from 1.22 to 1.05 g mm⁻1. Among the priming treatments, HP produced the highest dry biomass (5.09 g pot⁻1), whereas MP resulted in the lowest (4.06 g pot⁻1). Biochar application consistently improved RWC and WUE, with the MP with biochar application achieving the highest WUE (1.18 g mm⁻1). Drought altered nutrient dynamics by increasing shoot Ca and Mg and root N and K, while reducing soil available P. Oxidative damage, indicated by elevated MDA, intensified under drought, accompanied by increased antioxidant enzyme activities. Biochar amendments significantly reduced MDA and moderated antioxidant responses. Soil organic carbon (0.69–0.88%) and exchangeable K remained higher in biochar-amended pots across all drought levels. Conclusions: The combined application of rice husk biochar and seed priming effectively mitigated drought stress by improving soil properties, enhancing plant water relations, and moderating physiological and biochemical stress responses. This synergy supports healthier seedling development and improved drought resilience in sweet corn.