Yael Meller Harel

TL;DR: Two related alternatives are conjecture to explain the improved plant performance under biochar treatment: the biochar stimulated shifts in microbial populations towards beneficial plant growth promoting rhizobacteria or fungi, and low doses of biochar chemicals, many of which are phytotoxic or biocidal at high concentrations, stimulated plant growth at low doses (hormesis).

TL;DR: Assessment of the effect of biochar amendment on the root-associated bacterial community composition of mature sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants found that the Bacteroidetes-affiliated Flavobacterium was the strongest biochar-induced genus and chitin and cellulose degraders includedChitinophaga and Cellvibrio, respectively and aromatic compound degrades (Hydrogenophagaand Dechloromonas).

TL;DR: It is found that soil-applied biochar induces systemic resistance to the foliar fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Leveillula taurica on pepper and tomato and to the broad mite pest on pepper.

TL;DR: The ability of biochar amendment to promote transcriptional changes along different plant defense pathways probably contributes to its broad spectrum capacity for disease suppression.

TL;DR: There are indications that biochar induces responses along both systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR) pathways, resulting in a broad spectrum controlling capacity in the canopy.