Phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria and phosphorus-enriched biochar enhance growth, cannabinoid content, and essential oil yield in salt-stressed hemp (Cannabis sativa L.).
Shekari A, Jahromi MG, Ghotbi-Ravandi AA, Abdossi V, Torkashvand AM
Soil Health
If you're growing herbs or vegetables in soil that feels crusty white at the surface or near a driveway where winter salt runoff collects, a mix of specific soil bacteria and biochar could be the practical fix that lets your plants thrive where they'd otherwise struggle.
Salty soil is a growing problem for farmers worldwide, and it starves plants of phosphorus — a key nutrient they need to grow. Researchers found that combining two types of helpful soil bacteria with a special charcoal-like soil additive called biochar dramatically helped hemp plants cope: the plants grew bigger, stayed better hydrated, and produced significantly more of their valuable compounds. The combination worked better than either treatment alone, suggesting these two ingredients team up in complementary ways to rescue stressed plants.
Key Findings
Combined phosphorus-enriched biochar + Bacillus subtilis increased essential oil yield by 49% in salt-stressed hemp compared to salt-only controls.
Root weight increased by 28–38% and shoot weight by 24–25% in plants treated with the combined biochar-bacteria approach under salinity stress.
CBD content rose by 12–13% and THC by 14–16% in salt-stressed plants receiving the combined treatment, showing secondary metabolite production was also rescued.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Adding beneficial soil bacteria and phosphorus-rich biochar together helped hemp plants grow better and produce more CBD, THC, and essential oils even when the soil was too salty — a common agricultural problem that normally stunts crops.
Abstract Preview
Soil salinity induces phosphorus (P) deficiency, limiting crop productivity, yet the combined use of phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and phosphorus-enriched biochar (P-biochar) under salinit...
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Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest growing plants on Earth. It was also one of the first plants...