Climate Change Alters Drought Patterns, Biochar-Compost Mixture Enhances Drought Tolerance in Rice Plants

Strategic Insights -

Research by the Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute suggests that climate change is altering drought patterns, making them longer, more frequent, and more severe, particularly in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems. To mitigate the effects of drought on crop production and food security, amending soil properties and enhancing its fertility is a necessary strategy. A new study explored the potential benefits of biochar-compost mixture (B x C) as a biochar-based fertilizer (BCF) in enhancing drought tolerance in rice plants grown in low-fertile sandy soil.

Key Takeaways:

  • Climate change alters modern drought episode patterns by making them longer, more frequent, and more severe, particularly in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems.
  • Biochar-compost mixture (B x C) as a biochar-based fertilizer (BCF) can enhance drought tolerance in rice plants grown in low-fertile sandy soil.
  • Rice plants cultivated in unamended soil (no B x C) exhibited severely wilted, rolled, and discolored shoots, with a 73.3% reduction in shoot dry biomass compared to plants treated with B x C.
  • Root anatomical and architectural traits were significantly less impaired in B x C plants, reflecting better performance under drought compared to no B x C plants.
  • Soil moisture content was enhanced by 2.5-fold through adding B x C, reducing the negative impact of drought stress on rice plants.
  • The expression profiles of drought responsive genes suggest that leaves of more stressed rice plants (no B x C) accumulated more cytosolic free calcium, apoplastic H2O2, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide anion molecules, leading to fast and prolonged stomatal closure.

Statistics:

  • Drought suppression in rice plants treated with 5% B x C: 44.2% reduction in shoot dry biomass
  • Drought suppression in rice plants treated with 15% B x C: 27.6% reduction in shoot dry biomass
  • Soil moisture content enhancement through B x C addition: 2.5-fold increase
  • Lipid peroxidation increase in drought-stressed (no B x C) plant shoots: 3.5-fold
  • Number of drought responsive genes examined: more than 10

Sources:

  • Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute
  • Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences (SpringerOpen, 2023, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 1-17)
  • doi.org/10.1186/s43088-023-00411-7 (free version available)
  • NewsRx LLC (2023, September 8, p. 4664)