Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover

Phosphorus (P) plays important roles in the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization and rhizobium nodulation processes. Additionally, biochar's positive roles in mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation are articulated. However, the effect of the co-application of biochar and P on AM colonizati...

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Main Authors: Zakaria M. Solaiman, Paul Blackwell, Muhammad Izhar Shafi, Nariman D. Salman, Paul Storer, Emre Babur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIMS Press 2025-01-01
Series:AIMS Microbiology
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Online Access:https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/microbiol.2025004
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author Zakaria M. Solaiman
Paul Blackwell
Muhammad Izhar Shafi
Nariman D. Salman
Paul Storer
Emre Babur
author_facet Zakaria M. Solaiman
Paul Blackwell
Muhammad Izhar Shafi
Nariman D. Salman
Paul Storer
Emre Babur
author_sort Zakaria M. Solaiman
collection DOAJ
description Phosphorus (P) plays important roles in the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization and rhizobium nodulation processes. Additionally, biochar's positive roles in mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation are articulated. However, the effect of the co-application of biochar and P on AM colonization and rhizobium nodulation was poorly studied. This study investigated the effect of the co-application of wheat straw biochar and P using soil columns on mycorrhizal colonization, nodulation, and the growth of subterranean clover. The soil was amended with wheat straw biochar at 0, 5, and 10 t ha−1 with different levels of P fertilizer at 0, 5, and 10 kg P ha−1. These studies showed that adding biochar at 5 t ha−1 along with mineral P fertilizer increased plant growth, mycorrhizal root colonization and nodulation, and P concentration in plants. In most cases, the increasing trend of the biomass yield was higher when biochar and the P fertilizer were applied together at a higher level (P10). These findings suggested that an increased biochar application rate can increase the subterranean clover growth in soil with either no (P0) or a lower P (P5) fertilizer application. Mycorrhizal colonization could help to improve the P supply and subsequently stimulate the root nodulation of leguminous plants.
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spelling doaj-art-dac40d5830af485388fddd555ceb6df72025-08-20T02:34:09ZengAIMS PressAIMS Microbiology2471-18882025-01-01111597310.3934/microbiol.2025004Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean cloverZakaria M. Solaiman0Paul Blackwell1Muhammad Izhar Shafi2Nariman D. Salman3Paul Storer4Emre Babur5UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaRetired from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, PO Box 110, Geraldton, WA 6530, AustraliaUWA School of Agriculture and Environment, and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaUWA School of Agriculture and Environment, and The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaTroforte Innovations Pty Ltd, Wangara, WA 6065, AustraliaSoil and Ecology Department, Faculty of Forestry, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras 46050, TurkeyPhosphorus (P) plays important roles in the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization and rhizobium nodulation processes. Additionally, biochar's positive roles in mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation are articulated. However, the effect of the co-application of biochar and P on AM colonization and rhizobium nodulation was poorly studied. This study investigated the effect of the co-application of wheat straw biochar and P using soil columns on mycorrhizal colonization, nodulation, and the growth of subterranean clover. The soil was amended with wheat straw biochar at 0, 5, and 10 t ha−1 with different levels of P fertilizer at 0, 5, and 10 kg P ha−1. These studies showed that adding biochar at 5 t ha−1 along with mineral P fertilizer increased plant growth, mycorrhizal root colonization and nodulation, and P concentration in plants. In most cases, the increasing trend of the biomass yield was higher when biochar and the P fertilizer were applied together at a higher level (P10). These findings suggested that an increased biochar application rate can increase the subterranean clover growth in soil with either no (P0) or a lower P (P5) fertilizer application. Mycorrhizal colonization could help to improve the P supply and subsequently stimulate the root nodulation of leguminous plants.https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/microbiol.2025004biocharphosphorussoil propertiessubterranean clovernodulationmycorrhizal fungi
spellingShingle Zakaria M. Solaiman
Paul Blackwell
Muhammad Izhar Shafi
Nariman D. Salman
Paul Storer
Emre Babur
Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
AIMS Microbiology
biochar
phosphorus
soil properties
subterranean clover
nodulation
mycorrhizal fungi
title Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
title_full Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
title_fullStr Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
title_full_unstemmed Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
title_short Co-application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization, growth, and nutrition of subterranean clover
title_sort co application of biochar and phosphorus increases soil microbial biomass mycorrhizal colonization growth and nutrition of subterranean clover
topic biochar
phosphorus
soil properties
subterranean clover
nodulation
mycorrhizal fungi
url https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/microbiol.2025004
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