MITIGATION EFFECT OF BIOCHAR ON SORGHUM SEEDLING GROWTH UNDER SALINITY STRESS

Salinity stress one of the primary abiotic stress affected growth and establishment of crops. The study was conducted to examine if biochar can mitigate the negative effects of salinity on sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L) seedlings. The test was a completely randomized design with three replications arranged as a factorial design. The soil was treated with sodium chloride at levels of 0.8, 4.1, and 7.7 dS m-1. The saline soil was treated with four biochar rates of 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% (w/w). Seedling emergence percentage, root length (RL), shoot length (ShL), root fresh weight (RFwt), shoot fresh weight (SFwt), root dry weight (RDwt), shoot dry weight (SDwt), and relative water content (RWC) were significantly affected by salinity stress, biochar and by the interaction between salinity and biochar. However, biochar soil amendment proved to be more useful to alleviate the effect of salinity on seedling growth parameters. Moreover, among all biochar levels applied in this investigation. 5% biochar level has a high impact on mitigating salt stress. These findings evidenced that using biochar in suitable amount could mitigate the impacts of salt stress. However, biochar application at a high level may have negative influences.