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Regulatory Mechanism of Wheat Straw and Cotton Stalk Biochar on Silicon Morphological Transformation and Salt Ion Dynamics in Rhizosphere Soil
HUTianqiao, WANGYaofeng
Chin Agric Sci Bull ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (17) : 76-88.
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Abbreviation (ISO4): Chin Agric Sci Bull
Editor in chief: Yulong YIN
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Regulatory Mechanism of Wheat Straw and Cotton Stalk Biochar on Silicon Morphological Transformation and Salt Ion Dynamics in Rhizosphere Soil
This study was designed to investigate the pathways and mechanisms by which biochars with contrasting silicon contents ameliorate rhizosphere salinized soils. A pot experiment was established using wheat-straw (WS) and cotton-straw (CS) biochars pyrolyzed at 300℃ and 500℃, designated as WS300, WS500, CS300, and CS500, with a no-biochar treatment as the control (CK). The effects of these biochars on rhizosphere microenvironments, silicon speciation transformation, and ionic uptake were systematically assessed. The results revealed that WS-derived biochars consistently outperformed CS-derived counterparts in terms of labile silicon fractions (i.e., water-soluble and amorphous silicon) and ion-releasing capacity, with low-temperature (300℃) pyrolysis being more favorable for retaining these active constituents. Specifically, WS300 triggered a rapid efflux of salt ions at the tillering stage, substantially elevating rhizosphere electrical conductivity (EC) and concurrently increasing the concentrations of Na+, Cl-, K+, and Ca2+, thereby establishing a high-salt priming microenvironment. By the harvest stage, the available silicon content under WS300 treatment was approximately 1.15-fold and 2.35-fold higher than that under CS300 and CS500, respectively. Post-incubation characterization of WS300 biochar showed surface Si enrichment accompanied by decreased Cl and Ca levels, indicating a surface-mediated process wherein rapid salt release was coupled with concurrent silicon immobilization. In contrast, CS500 biochar, possessing a denser microstructure, exhibited lower silicon availability and slower salt release. WS500 biochar, however, continuously optimized rhizospheric ionic balance by reducing the Na/Cl ratio and elevating the K/Na ratio at tillering, maintaining Ca/Mg stability at flowering, and sustaining the highest K/Na ratio at harvest. These findings further suggest a synergistic coupling between salt liberation and silicon activation. The functional traits of the tested biochars were distilled into two dominant axes: WS300 was distinguished by its superior labile silicon content and high K/Na selectivity, whereas CS500 was characterized by high salt loading. Collectively, this work clarifies the divergent regulatory pathways of wheat-straw versus cotton-straw biochars in modifying rhizosphere environments, providing a theoretical basis for the targeted design and application of silicon-variable biochars in arid saline agricultural regions.
wheat straw biochar / rhizosphere soil / silicon morphological transformation / salt ions / K/Na ratio
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In order to study the effect of biochar application as simple and enriched, on the soil nutrients status in the salinity conditions, a research was conducted as a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The biochar (grape pruning residues) was applied in three levels (0, 2% biochar, and 2% enriched biochar by rock phosphate and cow manure). Also, the salinity treatment was considered in three levels (2, 4.5, and 9 dSm). After treating the soil, it was incubated in polyethylene containers for a 70-day period at 25 °C and 70% field capacity moisture regime. The results showed that salinity significantly affected the soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), calcium, magnesium, sodium, basal respiration, and nitrifying bacteria frequency (P < 0.001) and chloride concentration (P < 0.01). Also, the biochar significantly affected the pH, organic carbon, concentration of total nitrogen, phosphorous, solution potassium, sodium, iron, zinc, copper, basal respiration, and nitrifying bacteria frequency (P < 0.001) of the soil. The interaction effect of biochar and salinity levels was significant on soil sodium concentration (P < 0.01) and pH (P < 0.05). In comparison with the control treatment, the enriched biochar, decreased soil pH (about 1.4%) and increased the phosphorous, iron, and zinc up to 36%, 29%, and 36%, respectively and simple biochar increased the Nitrogen and Potassium up to 46% and 48%, respectively. In general, it was concluded that both types of the biochars lowered the sodium concentration of the soil in different salinity levels due to high potential of biochar for sodium absorption which this ability may be considered in saline soils remediation.
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Rapeseed meal, a nutritious organic fertilizer (OF), contributes to improving soil environment and crop productivity. However, there are also problems, namely slow fertilizer efficiency and low nutrient utilization during the growing season. This 2‐year field trial was conducted to explore the effect of biochar addition on improving the nutrient availability of OF through a comparative study of various biochar application rates under rice‐rapeseed rotation conditions. The findings revealed that, compared to the individual application of chemical fertilizers (CF), OF alone decreased rice yield (2%/2%) and rapeseed yield (6%/10%) in 2019/2020. Compared with OF, combining biochar (15 t ha−1) with OF (OF + B15) significantly increased rice yield (17%/10%) and rapeseed yield (25%/20%) in the first/second year. Additionally, OF + B15 still increased rice yield (14%/7%) and rapeseed yield (12%/13%) for two consecutive years compared to CF. The co‐application of biochar and OF had positive impacts on soil physicochemical properties and enzymes. Compared to OF, OF + B15 elevated soil organic carbon (SOC) by 57%–81%, soil catalase 19%, invertase 14%–20%, urease 17%–19%, and phosphatase 13%–17% during rice season, and similarly increased SOC by 77%–90%, soil catalase 14%–16%, invertase 14%–20%, urease 18%–24%, and phosphatase 16%–17% in rapeseed season. Biochar addition improved soil conditions and enzymatic activities, and the available nutrient supply of OF. Also, the co‐application of biochar and rapeseed meal surpassed the effect of chemical fertilizer alone on the growth and yield of crops. Therefore, biochar coupling with organic fertilizer is an effective fertilization strategy based on resource recycling, which promotes both crop yield and sustainable agriculture.
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This study investigated the effects of combined (mixed) application of desulfurization gypsum and biochar on crop growth and soil properties in the saline-alkali soils of coastal mudflats through indoor pot experiments and eight experimental ameliorant treatments. Among them, CK was the control of newly reclaimed cropland in the study area with no added ameliorator, treatment A was desulfurization gypsum applied alone, and treatment F was biochar applied alone, while treatments B, C, D, and E were set as a combination of desulfurization gypsum and biochar treatments with different ratios, and treatment G was a local multi-year improved farmland soil with no added ameliorator. Additionally, an evaluation index system was established for evaluating the saline-alkali soil improvement in the newly reclaimed cropland. Finally, the improvement effect was evaluated by assessing soil physical and chemical indicators, as well as nutrient and crop growth indicators. Based on the results, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) Desulfurization gypsum and biochar significantly improved the soil physicochemical properties. Both single and mixed application of desulfurization gypsum significantly increased soil Ca2+, SO42−, and Mg2+ contents and significantly reduced soil pH, sodium adsorption ratio, and bulk density. Both single and mixed application of biochar significantly reduced soil bulk density and significantly increased water-soluble K+, field capacity (water-holding capacity), available phosphorus, available potassium, and organic matter contents. (2) Both single and mixed application of desulfurization gypsum and biochar demonstrated effectiveness in promoting crop growth, where the fresh weight, dry weight, plant height, and leaf area of peanut were higher than those of treatments CK and G. Treatment A (desulfurization gypsum 100 g/kg) was the most effective ameliorant treatment, in terms of improving the fresh and dry weight of peanut. Treatment C (desulfurization gypsum 75 g/kg, biochar 20 g/kg) had the most significant effect on peanut plant height and leaf area. (3) After 60 days of planting, the improvement effect of each treatment was ranked as C > A > E > B > D > F > G > CK. The treatments with a desulfurization gypsum–biochar combination and desulfurization gypsum alone had the best improvement effect, followed by the treatment with biochar alone.
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