Abstract:
Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of the co-application of plant biostimulants and biochar on soil quality improvement in mildly saline-alkali soils of arid regions and its influence on cotton growth.
Method An indoor pot experiment was conducted with 16 treatments including wood vinegar combined with biochar (T1 - T9), humic acid combined with biochar (P1 - P6), and a control group (CK, only basal fertilizer applied). Cotton was used as the test crop to effects of different co-application treatments on soil amelioration and cotton growth in saline–alkali soils were evaluated.
Result ①Compared with CK, the application of plant biostimulants combined with biochar significantly decreased soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) while increasing soil porosity and water-holding capacity. The T7 treatment (wood vinegar at 600 kg hm−2 + γ-PGA at 18 kg hm−2 + biochar at 22.5 t hm−2) exhibited the most pronounced regulation of soil ions, reducing total salt content by 49.1% relative to CK, with the lowest Na+ and HCO3− levels and significantly higher Mg2+, K+, Ca2+, SO42−, and Cl− contents than other treatments. The P6 treatment (humic acid at 1200 kg hm−2 + γ-PGA at 18 kg hm−2 + biochar at 22.5 t hm−2) also achieved a 29.5% reduction in total salt content. Treatments T3, T6, T7, and P6 improved the soil from mildly saline to slightly saline levels. ②The combination of plant biostimulants and biochar markedly enhanced soil nutrient contents, with the best results observed under T7 and P6, where soil C/N and C/P ratios decreased significantly. ③Comprehensive analysis identified soil TN, NH4+-N, AK, and HCO3− as the key nutrient factors influencing soil quality and cotton growth. Wood vinegar-biochar combinations alleviated salt stress mainly by increasing nitrogen availability and optimizing ion composition, whereas humic acid-biochar combinations improved soil structure by regulating the carbonate system and balancing base cations.
Conclusion Plant biostimulants combined with biochar synergistically improved soil physicochemical properties through mechanisms involving physical adsorption, ion exchange, and chelation, thereby enhancing the soil quality index (SQI) and indirectly promoting cotton growth by optimizing the rhizosphere environment. Among all treatments, T7 and P6 showed the best performance in improving soil quality and crop growth, and can be recommended as optimal amendment strategies for saline-alkaline farmlands.