Abstract:
Environmental contamination by cadmium (Cd), a highly toxic heavy metal, poses significant health risks to plants and humans. Bio char (BC) has been effectively used to promote plant growth and productivity under Cd stress. This study presents an innovative application of BC derived from the invasiveweed Parthenium hysterophorus to promote plant growth and productivity under Cd stress. Our study includes detailed soil and plant analyses, providing a holistic perspective on how bio char and urea amendments in the form of nitrogen influence soil properties, nutrient availability, and plant physiological responses. To address these, we established seven treatments: the control, Cd alone (5 mg kg-1), BC alone (5 %), N alone (3 g kg-1), BC with Cd, N with Cd ,and a combination of bio char and N with Cd. Cd stress alone significantly reduced plant growth indicators. However, the supplementation of BC, N, or their combination significantly increased shoot length, root length, and fresh shoot biomass, respectively. This improvement is attributed to enhanced soil properties and improved nutrient absorption. The BC-N combination also enhanced Cd tolerance by improving total chlorophyll content compared to the control, respectively. Similarly, these treatments significantly (p < 0.05) boosted the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase respectively, thereby mitigating oxidative stress as a defensive mechanism. The Cd tolerance was improved by BC, N, and their combinations, which reduced Cd content in the shoots (by 60.5 %, 38.9 %, and 51.3 %), roots(by 47.5 %, 23.9 %, and 57.6 %), and grains (by 58.1 %, 30.2 %, and 38.3 %)relative to Cd stress alone, respectively. Conclusively, converting invasive Parthenium weed into BC and combining it with N offers an environmentally friendly solution to manage its spreading while effectively mitigating Cd stress in crops.
Page(s):
136-136
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: 1st International Conference on "Recent Advances in Green Biotechnology and Climate Resilience", September 15-16, 2025, Volume: 1, Issue: 1, Year: 2025
Keywords:
Antioxidant activity
,
chlorophyll content
,
Cd tolerance
,
Cd accumulation