EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF CADMIUM UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS ON LEAFY VEGETABLES BY USING ACIDIFIED BIOCHAR

Crop development and yield are hampered by salinity and heavy metal (HM) stresses. Heavy metals enter the food chain due to crop plants' absorption when cultivated in areas where HM exceed their threshold levels. Among different heavy metals, cadmium (Cd) is a notorious one. Higher -water solubility made Cd a potential toxin for crops and consumers. On the other hand, salinity also deteriorates plant productivity by negatively affecting many morpho-physiological and genetic attributes. To address these issues, i.e., HM toxicity and salinity stress, acidified biochar can be a game changer. In recent years, the use of biochar has gained increasing attention. Due to the characteristic structure of the biochar, it absorbs Cd and releases critical micronutrients in the soil. Because of its many micropores and significant ion exchange properties, biochar is an appropriate amendment for improving soil properties and immobilizing Cd. Furthermore, improvement in soil microbial population can also play an imperative role in developing better rhizosphere ecology. That's why the current review addressed the detrimental effects of salinity and Cd, and the positive impact of biochar on crop productivity. This review also covers the knowledge gap regarding using acidified biochar in alkaline soils. The emphasis was placed on elaborating the beneficial impacts of acidified biochar on plant output and soil composition maintenance.