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Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and...
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Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 5213

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Periyasamy Rathinapriya

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Horticultural and Herbal Crop Environment Division, Soil Management Laboratory, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Wanju-gun, Republic of Korea
Interests: biochar; biostimulant; abiotic stress tolerance; plant–soil nutrient interaction
Dr. Theivanayagam Maharajan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biosciences, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Cochin 683104, India
Interests: functional genomics; genome editing; biochar; CRISPR/Cas9; transcriptomic; fertilizer nutrient optimization; deficiency management; plant stress resilience; crop productivity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biochar and biostimulants are gaining global attention as innovative tools for improving agricultural productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability. Biochar possesses unique physical and chemical properties that allow it to enhance soil fertility, mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses, increase carbon sequestration, and promote plant development. Biostimulants, including humic acids, amino acids, microbial inoculants, and natural extracts, stimulate plant physiological functions, improve nutrient efficiency, and enhance stress tolerance. This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary research on the roles, mechanisms, and applications of biochar and biostimulants across various agroecosystems. We encourage contributions that utilize advanced techniques, including omics, modeling, field trials, and life cycle assessments, to explore how these amendments function across soil–plant systems.

Key themes include the following:

  • Biochar and biostimulants for soil quality improvement;
  • Roles in mitigating abiotic stress and soil contamination;
  • Effects on plant growth, physiology, and crop yield;
  • Nutrient transport, signaling, and stress adaptation;
  • Physiological, biochemical, and molecular impacts;
  • Gene expression and regulatory networks;
  • Carbon cycling, sequestration, and climate-resilient farming;
  • Integration into sustainable and smart agriculture strategies.

Dr. Periyasamy Rathinapriya
Dr. Theivanayagam Maharajan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biochar
  • biostimulants
  • crop improvement
  • abiotic stress tolerance
  • soil quality
  • nutrient uptake
  • soil remediation
  • omics approaches
  • gene expression
  • plant physiology

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 5359 KB  
Article
Biochar Enhances Nutrient Uptake, Yield, and NHX Gene Expression in Chinese Cabbage Under Salinity Stress
by Periyasamy Rathinapriya, Theivanayagam Maharajan, Tae-Jun Lim, Byeongeun Kang and Seung Tak Jeong
Plants 2025, 14(17), 2743; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14172743 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 524
Abstract
Salinity is a major limiting factor for all food crops, mainly Chinese cabbage. This study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar (BC) on physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of Chinese cabbage grown under salinity stress in an open field. We supplied three [...] Read more.
Salinity is a major limiting factor for all food crops, mainly Chinese cabbage. This study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar (BC) on physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of Chinese cabbage grown under salinity stress in an open field. We supplied three concentrations of BC (5, 10, and 15 t/ha) to the 200 mM NaCl salinity-stress-induced field, which enhanced physical and chemical properties of the soil. Under salinity stress, BC increased photosynthetic pigments and reduced proline and H2O2 contents. Notably, 5 t/ha BC boosted plant growth, biomass, and yield by >40% and inhibited ROS accumulation under salinity stress. BC also promoted the concentrations of various key micronutrients, particularly Fe and Zn, in Chinese cabbage under salinity stress, which may contribute to improving the nutrient content. BC under salinity stress significantly induced the expression of NHX family genes (BoNHX1 and BoNHX2). Among these, the BoNHX1 gene was found to be highly expressed in shoot and root tissues of Chinese cabbage grown under salinity stress with BC. Identification of this key candidate gene will lay the groundwork for further functional characterization studies to elucidate its role under salinity stress with BC. This study comprehensively analyzes the physiological, biochemical, and molecular impacts of BC application in Chinese cabbage under salinity stress. This study found that the application of 5 t/ha significantly improved various physiological and biochemical traits of Chinese cabbage under salinity stress compared to the other treatments. The outcome of this study provides novel insights into the bioprotective role of BC, offering a valuable foundation of organic supplements for farmers while also highlighting potential research directions for enhancing crop resilience and productivity in economically important crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions)
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21 pages, 2600 KB  
Article
Bamboo Biochar and Sodium Silicate Alleviate Oxybenzone-Induced Phytotoxicity via Distinct Mechanisms for Sustainable Plant Protection
by Chuantong Cui, Wenhai Yang, Weiru Dang, Ruiya Chen, Pedro García-Caparrós, Guoqun Yang, Jianhua Huang and Li-Jun Huang
Plants 2025, 14(15), 2382; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152382 - 2 Aug 2025
Viewed by 2773
Abstract
Oxybenzone (OBZ), an organic ultraviolet filter, is an emerging contaminant posing severe threats to ecosystem health. Using tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) as a model plant, this study investigated the alleviation mechanisms of exogenous silicon (Na2SiO3, Si) and bamboo-based [...] Read more.
Oxybenzone (OBZ), an organic ultraviolet filter, is an emerging contaminant posing severe threats to ecosystem health. Using tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) as a model plant, this study investigated the alleviation mechanisms of exogenous silicon (Na2SiO3, Si) and bamboo-based biochar (Bc) under OBZ stress. We systematically analyzed physiological and biochemical responses, including phenotypic parameters, reactive oxygen species metabolism, photosynthetic function, chlorophyll synthesis, and endogenous hormone levels. Results reveal that OBZ significantly inhibited tobacco growth and triggered a reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. Additionally, OBZ disrupted antioxidant enzyme activities and hormonal balance. Exogenous Bc mitigated OBZ toxicity by adsorbing OBZ, directly scavenging ROS, and restoring the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, thereby enhancing photosynthetic efficiency, while Si alleviated stress via cell wall silicification, preferential regulation of root development and hormonal signaling, and repair of chlorophyll biosynthesis precursor metabolism and PSII function. The mechanisms of the two stress mitigators were complementary, Bc primarily relied on physical adsorption and ROS scavenging, whereas Si emphasized metabolic regulation and structural reinforcement. These findings provide practical strategies for simultaneously mitigating organic UV filter pollution and enhancing plant resilience in contaminated soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions)
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12 pages, 2171 KB  
Article
Use of Foliar Biostimulants in Durum Wheat: Understanding Its Potential in Improving Agronomic and Quality Responses Under Mediterranean Field Conditions
by Angelo Rossini, Roberto Ruggeri and Francesco Rossini
Plants 2025, 14(15), 2276; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152276 - 24 Jul 2025
Viewed by 658
Abstract
Foliar application of biostimulants can be a valid option to reach the goal of sustainable intensification in agriculture, especially in extensive crops such as durum wheat. However, due to the wide range of active ingredients and their mixtures available in the market, the [...] Read more.
Foliar application of biostimulants can be a valid option to reach the goal of sustainable intensification in agriculture, especially in extensive crops such as durum wheat. However, due to the wide range of active ingredients and their mixtures available in the market, the need to select the most efficient product in a specific growing environment is of dramatic importance to achieve remarkable results in yield and grain quality. To analyze the potential of different active ingredients, a field trial was performed in two consecutive growing seasons (2023 and 2024) under Mediterranean climatic conditions. A randomized block design with three replicates was used. Durum wheat cultivar “Iride” was treated with the following five foliar biostimulants in comparison with the untreated control (T0): seaweed and plant extracts (T1); micronized vaterite (T2); culture broth of Pseudomonas protegens (T3); humic and fulvic acids (T4); organic nitrogen fertilizer (N 5%) containing glycine betaine (T5). Biostimulant treatment was applied at the end of tillering and at heading. Root length, chlorophyll content, grain yield, yield components and grain quality were measured and subjected to a one-way analysis of variance. As compared to the control, seaweed and plant extracts as well as micronized vaterite showed the best results in terms of grain yield (29% and 24% increase, respectively), root length (120% and 77% increase, respectively) and grain protein content (one percentage point increase, from approx. 12% to 13%). The results from this study can help Mediterranean farmers and researchers to develop new fertilization protocols to reach the goals of the “Farm to Fork” European strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions)
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17 pages, 1571 KB  
Article
Effects of Biochar Amendment on Potassium Supply Capacity and Potassium Accumulation in Soybean Across Diverse Soils
by Liqun Xiu, Yuanyuan Sun and Xiaori Han
Plants 2025, 14(13), 1959; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14131959 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 855
Abstract
Biochar enhances soil available potassium and plant uptake, yet its effects on soil potassium supply capacity and crop potassium accumulation require clarification. This study used a pot experiment with three soil types (albic, brown, and sandy soils) and four biochar application rates (0, [...] Read more.
Biochar enhances soil available potassium and plant uptake, yet its effects on soil potassium supply capacity and crop potassium accumulation require clarification. This study used a pot experiment with three soil types (albic, brown, and sandy soils) and four biochar application rates (0, 10, 20, and 30 g·kg−1) to investigate potassium supply capacity and soybean potassium accumulation using the potassium site coordination theory and Q/I curve analysis. The results showed that biochar significantly increased the available potassium content in soil. At the highest biochar application rate (30 g·kg−1), the available potassium in the albic, sandy, and brown soils increased by 24.84%, 60.90%, and 24.84%, respectively, compared to the control. The biochar boosted the instantaneous potassium supply (elevated AR0 and ΔK values) through direct water-soluble potassium input. However, the potential potassium supply capacity (PBC) varied by soil type: the PBC increased in the brown soil at low application rates but decreased in the albic and sandy soils with higher rates. The biochar enhanced soybean potassium accumulation through two pathways: the direct enrichment of soil potassium pools and the indirect improvement in soil properties to promote biomass accumulation. These findings provide theoretical insights for optimizing biochar use in agriculture to maximize potassium availability and crop efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Biochar and Biostimulants in Crop Improvement: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Directions)
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