Biochar is gaining significant attention due to its potential for carbon (C) sequestration, improvement of soil health, fertility enhancement, and crop productivity and quality. In this review, we discuss the most common available techniques for biochar production, the main physiochemical properties of biochar, and its effects on soil health, including physical, chemical, and biological parameters of soil quality and fertility, nutrient leaching, salt stress, and crop productivity and quality. In addition, the impacts of biochar addition on salt-affected and heavy metal contaminated soils were also reviewed. An ample body of literature supports the idea that soil amended with biochar has a high potential to increase crop productivity due to the concomitant improvement in soil structure, high nutrient use efficiency (NUE), aeration, porosity, and water-holding capacity (WHC), among other soil amendments. However, the increases in crop productivity in biochar-amended soils are most frequently reported in the coarse-textured and sandy soils compared with the fine-textured and fertile soils. Biochar has a significant effect on soil microbial community composition and abundance. The negative impacts that salt-affected and heavy metal polluted soils have on plant growth and yield and on components of soil quality such as soil aggregation and stability can be ameliorated by the application of biochar. Moreover, most of the positive impacts of biochar application have been observed when biochar was applied with other organic and inorganic amendments and fertilizers. Biochar addition to the soil can decrease the nitrogen (N) leaching and volatilization as well as increase NUE. However, some potential negative effects of biochar on microbial biomass and activity have been reported. There is also evidence that biochar addition can sorb and retain pesticides for long periods of time, which may result in a high weed infestation and control cost.

Biochar and Its Broad Impacts in Soil Quality and Fertility, Nutrient Leaching and Crop Productivity: A Review

Biochar, carbon-rich materials produced during the thermochemical processing of biomass, are receiving increased attention given their potential value as soil amendments Biochar are formed through pyrolysis processes—heating to several hundred degrees Celsius under oxygen-limited environments—and both the source feedstock and the reaction conditions affect the quality of the resulting chars Biochar can enhance soil physical and chemical properties and increase agricultural systems’ productivity through direct and indirect effects on crop growth and soil quality Biochar also may directly help mitigate climate change by sequestering stable carbon compounds in the soil and perhaps indirectly through increased C uptake by trees As the world faces growing challenges from soil degradation and climate change, biochar application to soils represents a potential pathway forward Although a large volume of literature exists regarding the use of biochar under favorable climatic conditions, information regarding biochar applications in semiarid and arid climates has been more limited Evidence of greater water holding capacity and reduced infiltration suggests these materials have potential to improve the productivity of such lands and provides a basis for considering its wider application in the arid environments such as Saudi Arabia Challenges and limitations for biochar use on a mass scale are also briefly discussed To move this technology forward, crop and soil scientists should involve economists and agricultural extension educators in studies that consider economic as well as biophysical implications for biochar’s application on a mass scale

Effects of biochar on soil fertility and crop productivity in arid regions: a review

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), wild or cultivated, is widely distributed throughout the world and belongs to the Fabacecae family. It is an old medicinal plant and has been commonly used as a traditional food and medicine. Fenugreek is known to have hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolaemic, effects. Recent research has identified fenugreek as a valuable medicinal plant with potential for multipurpose uses and also as a source for preparing raw materials of pharmaceutical industry, especially steroidal hormones. A significant increase in quantity and quality yields through the suitable management of cultivation, breeding and biotechnology practices could make an immediate and important contribution to farm and pharmaceutical industry income. To achieve these goals with regard to sustainable production, we reviewed a summary of biology, cultivation and biotechnology of fenugreek in this paper.

A review on biology, cultivation and biotechnology of fenugreek (trigonella foenum-graecum l.) as a valuable medicinal plant and multipurpose

Salinity stress is one of the most serious abiotic stress affecting adversely plant growth, various metabolic processes, and crop production. Using different osmoprotectants such as trehalose in alleviating salinity stress adverse effects is very important for plant production. So, the present study investigated the physiological role of trehalose (Tre) in improving wheat tolerance to oxidative stress induced by salt stress. Salinity stress (6.25 dS/m) caused marked significant decreases in wheat plant growth parameters (shoot height, fresh, and dry weights of the shoot) accompanied by significant increases in lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide contents, and lipoxygenase enzyme (LOX) activity. Osmoprotectant compounds such as glucose, sucrose, trehalose, total soluble sugars (TSS), free amino acids, and proline increased in wheat plants irrigated with saline water compared with unstressed control plant. On the other hand, Tre foliar treatments (10 mM and 50 mM) proved to be effective in enhancing growth parameters and more accumulation of the tested organic solutes of leaves (glucose, sucrose, trehalose, and TSS) of salinity-stressed plants. Meanwhile, trehalose treatments with different levels caused significant decreases in lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide contents, and LOX activity in normally irrigated and salinity-stressed plants. These decreases correlated with significant increases in total phenolic contents as compared with untreated control. It could be concluded that foliar spray of trehalose was effective in improving wheat performance by reducing hydrogen peroxide free radical and by enhancing antioxidant compounds (phenolics), compatible osmolytes, and membrane stability.

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Physiological role of trehalose on enhancing salinity tolerance of wheat plant

Fenugreek is an medicinal plant that use in disease some therapy. This plant use  for blood lipids and sugar decreasing in diabetic and non diabetic peoples and have antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The plant contains active constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, Saponins etc. It is an old medicinal plant. It has been commonly used as a traditional food and medicine. Fenugreek is known to have hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolaemic, effects, Anti-inflammatory effects.  Recent research has identified fenugreek as a valuable medicinal plant with potential for curing diseases and also as a source for preparing raw materials of pharmaceutical industry, like in steroidal hormones. Since fenugreek is a self-pollinated crop, a mutation breeding method can be used to generate mutants with a determinate growth habit. Irradiation and chemical mutagens can be used to produce point mutations in fenugreek

http://www.ijabbr.com/article_7851_bbd8fa7701b237d7746306a9df24e736.pdf

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) As a Valuable Medicinal Plant

Interaction effect of biological and organic fertilizers on yield and yield components of two wheat cultivars.

Two field experiments were carried out to study the effect of bio and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on the growth, productivity and nutritional value of some fenugreek cultivars in newly cultivated lands at new Salheyia Region, Sharkia Governorate.The main results were:-Giza-30 cultivar significantly exceeded Giza-2 cultivar in growth characters at 75 and 90 days after swoing and yield and its components. The application of bio-P fertilizer named phosphorene in two doses signigicantly increased growth attributes at 75 and 90 days after sowing and yield and its components compared with one dose and the control ( without bio-P fertilizer ) treatments. Furthermore, the addition of mineral P. fertilizer 2 5 at a rate of 46.5 kg P O /fed. resulted in significant increament in growth characters of fenugreek plants 2 5 and yield and its components in comparison with 15.5 and 31 kg P O /fed. treatments. With respect to the interaction between cultivars, bio-P fertilizer and mineral P. fertilizer, the interaction between cultivars×bio-P fertilizer and between cultivars×mineral P. fertilizer were significant on growth characters at 75 and 90 and on the yield and its components, whereas, the effect of the interaction between 2 5 phosphorene× P O was significant on growth parameters at different stages of growth and yield and its components. Generally Giza-30 fenugreek cultivar plants trated with two doses of bio-P fertilizer and 46.5 2 5 kg P O /fed. harvested the highest significant values from growth parameters, yield and its components and nutritional value of fenugreek plants in newly cultivated lands under new Salheyia Region, Sharkia Governorate.

Effect of bio and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on the growth, productivity and nutritional value of fenugreek (trigonella foenum graecum l.) in newly cultivated land

In order to examine the application of different soil and foliar organic fertilizers as well as biofertilizing flax under sandy soil conditions, two field experiments were carried out at the Research and Production Station of the National Research Centre (NRC), Al Nubaria district, El-Behaira Governorate, Egypt during 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 winter seasons. The trials aimed to study the effect of humic acid (HA) as low cost natural fertilizer, inoculation with mycorrhiza, and biocharcoal on on yield, quality and water use efficiency of flax variety (Amon) under newly reclaimed sandy soil. The treatments consisted of HA (25 kg/feddan), inoculation with mycorrhiza (1 kg/ feddan), and biochar (4 tons/feddan) and all the combinations among the treatments. Results showed that the treatment combination of (humic acid + mycorrhiza + biochar) was significantly superior compared to all the other treatments in number of capsules/plant, biological yield/plant (g), seed yield/plant (g), seed yield (kg/feddan), straw yield (tons/feddan), oil percent (%), and oil yield (kg/feddan). However, it gave the highest fruiting zone length (cm) but not significantly different from (mycorrhiza + biochar) and (humic acid + biochar), also it gave the highest seed index (g) but not significantly different from humic acid and (humic acid + mycorrhiza). The treatment combination of (humic acid + biochar) gave the highest plant height (cm), technical stem length (cm), and number of branches/plant.

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Effect of Humic Acid, Mycorrhiza Inoculation, and Biochar on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Flax under Newly Reclaimed Sandy Soil

To assess the performance and the variability of 49
flax varieties based on agronomic parameters using cluster analysis, a field
experiment was conducted in 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 winter seasons at the farm
of the National Research Center at Nubria district, Albehira Governorate,
Egypt. The results revealed high significant difference among all flax
varieties in all the studied characters. Letwania-9 and Evelen cultivars
surpassed all other varieties in seed and oil yields/fed. On the other hand,
D variety gave the lowest value of seed yield/fed and F variety gave the lowest
values of oil% and oil yield/fed. While, G Variety surpassed all other
varieties in straw yield/fed. Blanka variety recorded the lowest values of
straw yield/fed and biological yield/fed, while, Posna variety gave the lowest
values of technical stem length (cm). In cluster analysis, all the studied
characters were used to construct a distance matrix using the Euclidian
coefficient, and generate dendrogram showing dissimilarity among all the
varieties. Distance coefficient was ranged from 1.2 between Piltstar and
Litwania-1 varieties and 10.8 between Posna and G varieties, which reveal the
genetic diversity among varieties. The varieties can be divided into 4 groups
based on cluster analysis.

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Performance assessment of some flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) varieties using cluster analysis under sandy soil conditions.

Plants are subjected to a wide range of abiotic stresses, such as heat, cold, drought, salinity, flooding, and heavy metals. Generally, abiotic stresses have adverse impacts on plant growth and development which affects agricultural productivity, causing food security problems, and resulting in economic losses. To reduce the negative effects of environmental stress on crop plants, novel technologies, such as nanotechnology, have emerged. Implementing nanotechnology in modern agriculture can also help improve the efficiency of water usage, prevent plant diseases, ensure food security, reduce environmental pollution, and enhance sustainability. In this regard, nanoparticles (NPs) can help combat nutrient deficiencies, promote stress tolerance, and improve the yield and quality of crops. This can be achieved by stimulating the activity of certain enzymes, increasing the contents (e.g., chlorophyll) and efficiency of photosynthesis, and controlling plant pathogens. The use of nanoscale agrochemicals, including nanopesticides, nanoherbicides, and nanofertilizers, has recently acquired increasing interest as potential plant-enhancing technologies. This review acknowledges the positive impacts of NPs in sustainable agriculture, and highlights their adverse effects on the environment, health, and food chain. Here, the role and scope of NPs as a practical tool to enhance yield and mitigate the detrimental effects of abiotic stresses in crops are described. The future perspective of nanoparticles in agriculture has also been discussed.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.946717/pdf

O. M. Ibrahim

Papers

Interaction effect of biological and organic fertilizers on yield and yield components of two wheat cultivars.

Effect of bio and mineral phosphorus fertilizer on the growth, productivity and nutritional value of fenugreek (trigonella foenum graecum l.) in newly cultivated land

Effect of Humic Acid, Mycorrhiza Inoculation, and Biochar on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Flax under Newly Reclaimed Sandy Soil

Performance assessment of some flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) varieties using cluster analysis under sandy soil conditions.

Role of Nanoparticles in Enhancing Crop Tolerance to Abiotic Stress: A Comprehensive Review