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Synthesis of biochar from sugarcane filter-cake and its impacts on physiological performance of lettuce (Lettuce sativa) grown on cadmium contaminated soil

  • S. I. BIOCHAR
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Abstract

Soil contamination with cadmium has become major concern all over the world because of its adverse impacts on ecosystem health and agricultural land. Soil amendment with biochar may have varied effects on physical and chemical properties of soil. The objective of the study was to explore the impact of sugarcane filter-cake biochar on physiological performance and growth of lettuce in an aged soil. Four different doses (0, 1.5%, 3%, and 5%) of biochar were used in the soil and conditioned for 1 month. After this, lettuce seedlings were grown in the soil. The results showed that the biochar treatment improved the fresh and dry biomass of leaves and roots as well as plant height while diminished the bioavailability of cadmium from the soil. As compared to control, biochar significantly enhanced the chlorophyll content in lettuce leaves. Due to the biochar amendment, the oxidative stress decreased in lettuce shoots over the control. As compared to control, concentration of cadmium in lettuce significantly decreased after the application of biochar. It was concluded that biochar could mitigate the toxicity of cadmium in lettuce by altering the biochemical and physiological processes in cadmium contaminated soil.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Islamabad, Pakistan, for providing the greenhouse and laboratory facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    Anum Sehar, Rukhsanda Aziz, Muhammad Tariq Rafiq & Adiba Khan Sehrish

  2. Vegetable Crop Research Programme, HRI, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Mazhar Hussain

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, Allama Iqbal Road, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Rizwan & Shafaqat Ali

  4. Rangeland Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Khalid Rafiq

  5. UK Biochar Research Center, School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK

    Muhammad Khalid Rafiq

  6. Wheat Wide Crosses Programme, CSI, National Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan

    Jalal ud Din

  7. Institute of Soil Science, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    Qaiser Hussain

  8. Soil Sciences Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammad I. Al-Wabel

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  1. Anum Sehar
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  2. Rukhsanda Aziz
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  3. Muhammad Tariq Rafiq
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  8. Jalal ud Din
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  10. Mohammad I. Al-Wabel
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  11. Shafaqat Ali
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Correspondence to Shafaqat Ali.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Implications of Biochar Application to Soil Environment under Arid Conditions

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Sehar, A., Aziz, R., Rafiq, M.T. et al. Synthesis of biochar from sugarcane filter-cake and its impacts on physiological performance of lettuce (Lettuce sativa) grown on cadmium contaminated soil. Arab J Geosci 11, 634 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-4006-4

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