Abstract
Deficit irrigation can potentially increase plant water use efficiency by regulating stomatal morphology and photosynthetic physiology, whereas the combined effects of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation on alfalfa growth and leaf physiology remain largely unknown in salt-affected soil. A split-root pot experiment was implemented to investigate the effect of biochar amendments (WSB: wheat straw biochar; CSB: corn straw biochar) and irrigation regimes (FI: full irrigation; DI: deficit irrigation, 70 % of FI on the entire root zone; PRDI: partial root-zone drying irrigation, only irrigating half of the root zone with soil water content maintained at the same level as that under DI) on the leaf morpho-physiological traits and water use efficiency of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.). DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance ( g s ), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ 13 C leaf ), and net CO 2 assimilation rate ( A ) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA] leaf ), resulting in lower biomass accumulation. In contrast, biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA] leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leaf . Notably, PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE ( A / g s ) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ 13 C leaf , thereby increasing plant-scale WUE (WUE plant ) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment. Overall, co-application of biochar amendment and deficit irrigation facilitates more efficient and ecologically sustainable alfalfa management in salt-affected soil. Future studies should investigate long-term effects, underlying mechanisms, and large-scale applicability across diverse environmental contexts. • PRDI improved WUE but reduced CO₂ assimilation of alfalfa in salt-affected soil. • Biochar altered stomatal morphology and ABA concentration under PRDI. • Co-application of biochar and PRDI increased WUE and biomass accumulation of alfalfa.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
DI and PRDI significantly reduced stomatal conductance, carbon isotope discrimination and net CO2 assimilation in alfalfa.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- DI and PRDIe0
- Outcome
- stomatal conductance ( g s ), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ 13 C leaf ), and net CO 2 assimilation rate ( A )e0
- Direction
- reductione0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance ( g s ), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ 13 C leaf ), and net CO 2 assimilation rate ( A )”
Claim · model-written summary
DI and PRDI increased leaf ABA concentration in alfalfa.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- DI and PRDIe0
- Outcome
- leaf abscisic acid concentratione0
- Direction
- elevatinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance ( g s ), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ 13 C leaf ), and net CO 2 assimilation rate ( A ) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA] leaf )”
Claim · model-written summary
DI and PRDI lowered alfalfa biomass accumulation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- DI and PRDIe0
- Outcome
- biomass accumulatione0
- Direction
- lowere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“DI and PRDI exhibited a similar trend, with both leading to a significant reduction in stomatal conductance ( g s ), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ 13 C leaf ), and net CO 2 assimilation rate ( A ) by altering stomatal traits and elevating leaf abscisic acid concentration ([ABA] leaf ), resulting in lower biomass accumulation.”
Claim · model-written summary
WSB biochar improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- WSBe0
- Outcome
- soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water statuse0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status”
Claim · model-written summary
CSB biochar improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- CSBe0
- Outcome
- soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water statuse0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status”
Claim · model-written summary
WSB biochar lowered leaf ABA concentration and enhanced stomatal density, size and carbon isotope discrimination.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- WSBe0
- Outcome
- [ABA] leafe0
- Direction
- lowere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA] leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leaf .”
Claim · model-written summary
CSB biochar lowered leaf ABA concentration.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- CSBe0
- Outcome
- [ABA] leafe0
- Direction
- lowere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA] leaf”
Claim · model-written summary
WSB biochar enhanced stomatal density, stomatal size and leaf carbon isotope discrimination.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- WSBe0
- Outcome
- stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leafe0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA] leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leaf .”
Claim · model-written summary
CSB biochar enhanced stomatal density, stomatal size and leaf carbon isotope discrimination.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- CSBe0
- Outcome
- stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leafe0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“biochar amendment of WSB and CSB significantly improved soil water-holding capacity, root water uptake and leaf water status, resulting in lower [ABA] leaf and enhanced stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS) and Δ 13 C leaf .”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar combined with PRDI enhanced leaf intrinsic water use efficiency.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- PRDI combined with biochar amendmente0
- Outcome
- leaf intrinsic WUE ( A / g s )e0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE ( A / g s ) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ 13 C leaf”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar combined with PRDI enhanced long-term water use efficiency.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- PRDI combined with biochar amendmente0
- Outcome
- long-term WUEe0
- Direction
- enhancede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“PRDI combined with biochar amendment substantially enhanced leaf intrinsic WUE ( A / g s ) and long-term WUE indicated by lower Δ 13 C leaf”
Claim · model-written summary
Biochar combined with PRDI increased plant-scale water use efficiency by 39–56 % compared with PRDI without biochar.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- biochar-amendede0
- Outcome
- plant-scale WUE (WUE plant )e0
- Direction
- increasinge0
- Value
- 39–56 %e0
- Comparator
- non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatmente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“increasing plant-scale WUE (WUE plant ) by 39–56 % compared to non-biochar-amended under PRDI treatment”
Claim · model-written summary
Co-application of biochar and PRDI increased alfalfa biomass accumulation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- Co-application of biochar and PRDIe0
- Outcome
- biomass accumulatione0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)”
e0“Co-application of biochar and PRDI increased WUE and biomass accumulation of alfalfa.”
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