Nitric acid-modified biochar ameliorates saline-alkali soil and promotes cotton growth by regulating microbiomes and metabolites.
Xia X, Babar S, Wang J, Yan B, Jiang C
Soil Health
If you've ever tried growing vegetables in compacted, salty, or 'dead' soil and watched them struggle, this research points toward a cheap soil amendment tweak — acidifying biochar before you add it — that could make the difference between a thriving bed and a failed one.
Scientists tested whether treating charred plant material (biochar) with acid before adding it to harsh, salty soil would help cotton plants grow better. The acid-treated biochar lowered the soil's saltiness and bitterness, encouraged helpful bacteria to move in, and triggered the cotton plants themselves to produce natural protective compounds. Cotton plants in the treated soil grew nearly four times as large as those in untreated saline soil.
Key Findings
Nitric acid modification reduced soil pH by 0.25–0.32 units and decreased total soluble salts by 9.81–12.11%, significantly improving soil conditions for plant growth.
Cotton dry biomass increased 3.63–3.88 times in acid-modified biochar treatments compared to controls, a near-fourfold growth improvement.
Acid-modified biochar enriched beneficial microbes including Actinobacteria and Nocardioides and induced plant stress-protective metabolites such as flavonoids and betalamic acid.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Researchers found that treating biochar with nitric acid before adding it to salty, alkaline soils dramatically improves cotton growth and soil health — boosting plant biomass nearly fourfold compared to untreated biochar. The acid treatment works by lowering soil pH, reducing salt levels, and encouraging beneficial soil microbes and protective plant compounds.
Abstract Preview
Biochar is extensively utilized for saline-alkali soil remediation; however, the effects of feedstock origin on its performance remain unclear. Moreover, there is a growing need to develop modified...
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