Rice straw, biochar, cow manure as soil amendment and effective cellulolytic fungi immobilized in alginate biochar bead for enhancing soil enzyme activity and chemical characteristics of salt affected soil
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Saline soils present significant problems that limit rice production in Thailand. Organic amendments have the potential to reduce the effects of salt, improving soil health. This study demonstrated the effects of cellulolytic Talamyces subtropicalis SM2 encapsulated in alginate-biochar and soil amendments (rice straw, cow manure, and biochar) on boosting the enzyme activity and chemical properties of soils. At 1%, both biochar enhanced carboxymethylcellulase and filter paperase activity. Alternative alginate rice straw biochar also increased both cellulolytic enzymes at the highest salinity (EC: 40 dS/m). Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy encountered conidia trapped within the bead with the components: C, O, and Si. When applied to salt affected soil (EC 20 dS/m), the soil amendments inoculated with the bead significantly increased (p<0.05). β-glucosidase, protease, and fluorescein diacetate hydrolase more, compared with non-saline soil. Furthermore, organic matter, organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus showed significant increase (p<0.05). The principal component analysis revealed 70.5% of the total variation in soil chemical characteristics and soil enzymes, showing the response to amended organic amendments and the beads. Especially, the correlation revealed that dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolase, β-glucosidase, invertase and protease were strongly correlated to organic carbon, indicating that increasing organic matter promoted microbial viability and function in high salinity. Our findings suggested that incorporating soil amendments and alginate-biochar immobilized conidia as a biofertilizer considerably improves soil chemical characteristics and enzymes in salt-affected soil, hence improving soil fertility and contributing to agricultural sustainability. • Cellulolytic fungus was incorporated by sodium alginate and biochar from rice straw or bamboo as effective inoculum. • Alginate-biochar-immobilized spored increased rice straw decomposition by enhancing cellulase activity, even in high salinity condition. • Combining alginate-biochar immobilized fungus and soil amendment significantly enhanced several soil enzyme activities and affected to increase organic carbon, organic matter, total nitrogen and available phosphorus in salt-affected soil.
Institution: Khon Kaen University
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,930
OpenAlex ID: W4414518071