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Makhdora Almuziny

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Open access 2026

Biochar-Loaded Purpureocillium lilacinum Formulation Enhances Soil Water Retention, Drought Tolerance, and Essential Oil Productivity of Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.)

: Water deficit severely constrains the productivity and essential oil yield of medicinal and aromatic crops grown in sandy soils. This study assessed whether a biochar-loaded Purpureocillium lilacinum formulation could improve soil properties, drought tolerance, growth, mineral nutrition, soil biological activity, and essential oil production of spearmint ( Mentha spicata L.) under full and deficit irrigation. A two-season field experiment was conducted in 2024 and 2025 using a split-plot design arranged in a randomized complete block with three replicates. Irrigation regimes, including 100% and 75% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), were assigned to main plots, whereas bioformulation treatments, including untreated control, biochar alone, free P. lilacinum , and biochar-loaded P. lilacinum , were assigned to subplots. The formulation maintained high viability during storage, with fungal counts declining from 8.30 × 10 7 to 5.10 × 10 7 colony-forming units (CFU) g − 1 after 60 days, while pH and electrical conductivity remained relatively stable. Deficit irrigation reduced soil organic matter, water-holding capacity, available macronutrients, plant growth, chlorophyll content, relative water content, leaf nutrient concentrations, essential oil yield, and dehydrogenase activity, while increasing proline accumulation. Conversely, bioformulation treatments improved most measured traits, with biochar-loaded P. lilacinum producing the strongest response. This treatment enhanced soil water retention and nutrient availability, reduced bulk density, improved biomass accumulation and physiological status, and maintained high essential oil yield under both irrigation regimes. Overall, biochar-loaded P. lilacinum represents a promising bioformulation for improving spearmint productivity, drought resilience, soil biological activity, and essential oil performance in sandy soils under deficit irrigation

Doaa Mousa Khalifa, Motrih Al-Mutiry, W. Shehata et al. · Phyton · 0 citations

Open access Jul 2026

Senna italica as an Ecosystem Engineer: Enhancing Soil Fertility and Function in Nutrient-Poor Sandy Soils

Arid and semi-arid soils are typically characterised by low fertility, limited nutrient availability, and weak structural stability, posing major challenges for sustainable land management. Native plant species that naturally improve soil quality may provide environmentally sustainable solutions for restoring degraded sandy ecosystems. This study evaluated the influence of Senna italica, a native leguminous shrub, on the physicochemical properties and fertility of nutrient-poor sandy soils in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Soil samples were collected beneath naturally established S. italica plants and from adjacent non-vegetated areas for comparison. Soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were determined, and root samples were stained and examined for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) colonisation. Although both soils were classified as sandy, soils beneath S. italica contained a greater proportion of fine particles (4.20% vs. 2.12% silt + clay). Rhizosphere soils exhibited significantly lower pH and significantly greater concentrations of available N, P, and K than adjacent non-vegetated soils, whereas EC did not differ significantly. Microscopic observations confirmed extensive AMF colonisation of S. italica roots, including hyphae and vesicles. These findings suggest that S. italica enhances soil fertility through integrated plant–soil–microbe interactions involving biological nitrogen fixation, rhizosphere-mediated nutrient mobilisation, and mycorrhizal associations. The study identifies S. italica as a potential ecosystem engineer with promising applications in ecological restoration, soil rehabilitation, and sustainable management of degraded sandy soils in arid and semi-arid regions.

Noura Alsayeri, Shuruq Alharthi, Jumanah Aldomaigi et al. · International Journal of Pla... · 0 citations