Effects of biochar amendment on wheat performance under deficit irrigation in traditional and modern cultivars: a preliminary study

Insufficient water availability leads to a notable reduction in root and shoot biomass, as well as a comparative decline in growth rates in plants. Biochar is an organic material that can help reduce the adverse effects of drought stress. The use of biochar as a soil amendment has been supported as a way to increase water holding capacity. A pot experiment was carried out to evaluate whether 5% (w/w) biochar mixture can mitigate the adverse impacts of drought stress on the growth, physiological and biochemical attributes of two different wheat cultivars under drought stress, traditional wheat cultivar Saragolla and the modern one Svevo. Results showed that water-limited conditions significantly reduced root and leaf biomass, leaf area, and chlorophyll content, with the most severe decline observed in Svevo, indicating its higher susceptibility to drought-induced damage. In contrast, Saragolla exhibited greater drought plant performance under water stress, maintaining higher biomass, leaf area, and chlorophyll content, particularly when treated with biochar. Biochemi-cal stress markers, including H₂O₂, MDA, REC% and proline content, were elevated by drought stress, predominantly in Svevo, suggesting its greater reliance on osmotic adjustments. However, biochar treatment restored these parameters in both cultivars, with a more pronounced effect in Saragolla, reflecting a more effective regulation of oxidative stress markers and drought tolerance.