Influence of biochar on growth and photosynthetic attributes of Triticum aestivum L. under half and full irrigation.

Efficient use of water for the cultivation of crops is the need of time especially in those areas of world where water has becoming scared. This shortage of water supply impose drought stress that reduces the yield of many cereals like Triticum aestivum L. up to many folds especially in Pakistan where handiness of better quality irrigational water is very less. To overcome that problem addition of biochar as an amendment in our experiment was examined. Cotton sticks waste biochar was prepared by pyrolysis at 3850C whose pH and EC were 8.42 and 2.33 dS/m respectively. There were 6 treatments and 6 replications having half and full doze of irrigational water with biochar 3 implication rates (0%, 1% and 2%) in sandy soils. Results revealed significant increase in almost all the attributes of tested plants (fresh biomass, dry biomass, stem length, root length) at the amended rates of 1% and 2% biochar in sandy soils as compared to control. Chlorophyll pigments (a, b and total), carotenoids and anthocyanin (except lycopene) production was also improved due to biochar addition in the sandy soils. Biochar application enhanced water holding capacity of sandy soil which reduces the effect of drought in half irrigation treatment. Based on the results it is concluded that cotton sticks waste biochar can be effectively used (1% and 2%) to improve water holding capacity of sandy soils due to which drought stress can be reduced while crop yield is also enhanced as supplement availability of water which assist photosynthesis to produce photosynthetic and accessory pigments.