This bibliometric analysis offers a global overview of published research on use of biochar for combating soil salinity and drought in agriculture during 2013-2026. A total of 110 related articles were reviewed, with 4243 citations indicating high academic attention. Journal articles were the most represented, followed by reviews and book chapters, in line with the trend of synthesizing knowledge and conceptual frameworks. Keyword mapping, word clouds, treemaps, and BERT topic modelling found biochar-mediated soil amendment, crop stress tolerance, sustainable agriculture, and emerging cross-sections with nanotechnology as the core topics. Most of the leading contributions were from China, Pakistan, and India, assisted mainly by large publishers and funding agencies. Open access publications have increased in visibility, and network analysis has revealed solid international collaborations and under-explored research frontiers. The results provide insights into research patterns, knowledge gaps, and future prospects for biochar-based approaches targeting improvement of soil health and crop resilience against abiotic stresses.

Understanding the salinity stress processes is crucial for crop development and sustainable agriculture. Salinity stress has the highest level of adverse impact on crop growth and development, agricultural yield, and food security compared to other abiotic stressors. Therefore, it is important to protect, investigate, and document traditional plants that can reduce salt damage and increase salt tolerance in newly grown crops for food security and sustainable agriculture. This study aimed to examine the response of the cereal crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes to salinity stress. The seeds of the local genotype of barley (Alashkert) were grown for 3 months in the greenhouse of Yerevan State University (Republic of Armenia) in perlite pots while applying various concentrations of NaCl (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mM). In response to increased salt stress, barley stem length and diameter, root, stem, leaf biomass and water content, chlorophyll content, and gas exchange were all reduced. However, the data also demonstrate that the barley cultivar absorbs more Na+ ions and increases the Na+/K+ ratio within its leaves, shoots, and roots under high-salinity conditions. The findings suggest that the “Alashkert” local barley genotype has potential as a crop for use in saline agriculture in Armenia and other countries. Therefore, our in-depth primary analysis of barley genotypes at the physiological, morphological, and biochemical levels provides comprehensive insights into the potential to improve agricultural practices for crop improvement and management programs.

In pursuit of sustainable agricultural advancements, this study was carried out over two consecutive years, examining the effects of interaction among arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, selenobacteria and nano zinc on the rhizospheric characteristics. The experiment involved two different levels of AM fungi, three levels of selenobacteria and nano zinc oxide each, replicated thrice in factorial randomized block design, under polyhouse conditions. The highest soil concentrations of zinc and selenium were obtained from the combination of AM fungi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (selenobacterial strain), and 100 mg/L nano zinc. Additionally, there were elevated microbial counts, including total bacterial count, selenobacterial count, phosphorus-solubilizing bacteria and AM spores. The interactive treatments also had a significant impact on soil enzymes. The AM fungi, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and 100 mg/L nano zinc together recorded increased enzymatic activities of acid phosphatase (55.47%) and alkaline phosphatase (66.69%) than control. This study offers significant findings for improving agricultural methods, which can significantly improve ensuring food security, thereby boosting the adoption of sustainable farming systems.

Soil salinization is a significant ecological issue that reduces soil fertility, inhibits plant growth, and decreases crop productivity. The impact of biochar and ZnO nanoparticle (ZnO-NP) based nanopriming on early seedling growth in wheat under salinity stress was investigated. Experimental trials were conducted in (i) a soil-based bioassay under greenhouse conditions with 1.3% (w/w) biochar, (ii) a greenhouse seed bioassay to assess the effects of ZnO-NPs, and (iii) at different concentrations of biochar and ZnO-NPs (50 mg/L and 100 mg/L), either alone or in combination, to determine which treatment was most effective under varying salinity levels (low, medium, and high) for wheat genotypes (V1: Gohar and V2: Van). Results showed that germination rate (GR), germination percentage (GP), mean daily germination (MDG), germination vigour index (GVI), stress tolerance indices including PI and GSTI, as well as seed content, were significantly reduced by increasing salinity levels. The V1 (Gohar) genotype showed that the combined application of 1.3% biochar and 50 mg/L ZnO-NPs was most beneficial for seed germination; in contrast, the V2 (“Van”) genotype responded best to individual treatments of either 1.3% biochar or ZnO-NPs at 50 or 100 mg/L, depending on the salinity level. Overall, the V2 genotype exhibited the highest salinity stress tolerance. These findings demonstrate that biochar and ZnO nanoparticles, applied separately or together, have great potential for improving wheat seedling establishment in saline environments. The research highlights the emerging role of biochar and pre-sowing nanopriming in the agro-industry for soil enhancement, stress management, and crop productivity.

Groundwater is a principal irrigation water source worldwide; however, its quality is increasingly diminished by rapid urbanization, improper agricultural practices, and accelerating industrial activities. Groundwater management is especially important in areas where soil salinization and erosion are more probable, such as arid and semi-arid zones. In view of this, the Armavir region of the Republic of Armenia was selected as the study area, being an intensively cultivated agricultural zone. The objective of this study was to assess and map the quality of groundwater for irrigation using advanced methods, taking into account both climatic conditions and anthropogenic influences. A total of 72 groundwater samples were collected during the irrigation season from 41 unconfined and 31 confined aquifer wells. Key hydrochemical parameters (pH, EC, TDS, Cl−, HCO3−, CO32−, Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+), irrigation indices (SAR, Na%, MH, RSC and PI), and graphical methods (Gibbs, USSL and Wilcox diagrams) were applied to assess groundwater quality. An integrated assessment was performed using the Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI), and spatial distribution was evaluated through geostatistical analysis and GIS mapping. Although certain individual hydrochemical parameters indicated limitations for irrigation in localized areas, particularly within the unconfined aquifer, the integrated IWQI assessment revealed that groundwater predominantly falls within the good to excellent categories across the study area, with more favorable conditions observed in the confined aquifer. These findings constitute an essential prerequisite for counteracting soil salinization and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

Salinity is a significant abiotic factor limiting agricultural productivity worldwide, affecting nearly one-third of global agricultural land. The problem is becoming more severe through climate change, improper irrigation, and urbanization-induced soil alkalization. Salinity stress reduces seed germination through osmotic imbalance and ionic toxicity, which impair water uptake and metabolic activation. Seed priming technologies, including hydropriming, chemopriming, biopriming, and nanopriming, have emerged as strategies to mitigate salinity stress and improve crop establishment. Nanopriming involves soaking seeds in, or coating them with, a formulation containing nanoparticles (1–100 nm). This review discusses the mechanisms underlying nanopriming-mediated enhancement of seed performance under salinity stress. Physiologically, nanopriming improves osmotic homeostasis by regulating seed imbibition, increasing water potential, and enhancing ionic balance through reduced Na⁺ and Cl⁻ accumulation and improved K⁺ uptake. It modulates hormonal balance by decreasing abscisic acid (ABA) while increasing gibberellic acid (GA), promoting germination. Biochemically, nanopriming enhances metabolic activation through increased α-amylase activity and mitigates oxidative damage by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and strengthening antioxidant defense systems, including enzymatic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)) and non-enzymatic components. At the molecular level, nanopriming activates stress-responsive signaling pathways involving ABA, GA, ethylene, Ca²⁺ signalling, ROS-mediated regulation, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-cascades, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress responses. These pathways upregulate genes related to aquaporins, ion transporters, osmolyte biosynthesis, antioxidant enzymes, and growth regulation. Nanoprimed seeds exhibit increased germination percentages, faster germination rates, improved vigour indices, enhanced growth, and increased stress tolerance. Despite these benefits, research gaps remain. Field-scale evaluations are limited, and understanding of nanoparticle fate in soil ecosystems is insufficient. Inappropriate nanoparticle parameters may induce phytotoxicity, oxidative damage, and ecological risks. Some studies report excessive ROS production and nanoparticle accumulation in plants, raising food safety concerns. While nanopriming represents an innovative strategy for enhancing seed germination under salinity stress, further research is needed to optimize formulations, establish safety thresholds, and develop standardized protocols for sustainable agricultural application.

Soil salinity is a major environmental constraint that threatens global food security by significantly inhibiting seed germination and early seedling establishment. Salinity disrupts all three phases of seed germination: Phase I (imbibition), where reduced water absorption capacity reduces seed hydration and delays metabolic reactivation; Phase II (lag phase), where ionic toxicity and oxidative stress impair enzyme activity, reserve mobilization, and cellular metabolism; and Phase III (radicle protrusion), where limited cell division and length prevent radicle emergence and seedling establishment. These disturbances reduce germination percentage, germination rate, germination index, germination energy, and plant vigor, while increasing average germination time. At the morpho-physiological level, salinity impairs water absorption, membrane stability, photosynthetic pigment accumulation, and root–shoot development. Biochemically, excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) causes cellular damage and metabolic dysfunction. At the molecular level, salinity alters the expression of the aquaporin gene family (PIPs, TIPs, NIPs, and SIPs), suppresses starch mobilization by reducing α-amylase, enhances abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, and inhibits gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis, all of which cause inhibition of germination and early growth. As a result, an effective strategy is needed to improve seed germination under saline conditions. Therefore, the second focus of this review is to critically evaluate the potential of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanobiochar (NBC) as emerging tools to mitigate salinity stress during seed germination. Current evidence suggests that NPs and NBC enhance water absorption, maintain membrane strength, improve nutrient availability, promote antioxidant defense systems, and regulate osmotic adjustment in saline environments. Furthermore, these nanomaterials alter key molecular pathways involved in aquaporin expression, hormonal homeostasis, and reserve mobilization, thereby promoting successful germination and seedling establishment. By combining recent advances in physiological, biochemical, and molecular research, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of salinity-induced germination disruption and highlights the potential of NP- and NBC-based approaches to improve crop establishment under saline conditions.

Groundwater serves as a primary source of irrigation water globally. However, its quality is threatened by rapid urbanization, improper organization of agricultural work, and the expansion of industrial activities. Groundwater is of paramount significance in Armenia, especially within the Armavir region, which encompasses the area under investigation. For the first time, an initiative was taken in the Armavir region to assess and map groundwater irrigation properties using advanced methods, taking into account both the climatic conditions of the area and the influence of anthropogenic factors. The studies were carried out between 2022 and 2023 years. Sampling was carried out from 72 wells, 41 of which belonged to unconfined aquifers and 31 to confined aquifers. Chemical parameters (pH, EC, and Cl−), different indices (SAR, Na

Intensive application of pesticides based on glyphosate (Gly) and copper (Cu) in agricultural systems has raised environmental concerns regarding their accumulation in soils and potential ecotoxicological effects on soil-dwelling organisms, thereby increasing the risks to soil fauna. The use of compounds with a high adsorption capacity, such as biochar, may promote the immobilization of these contaminants, reducing their bioavailability and toxicity in the soil. To assess the individual and combined effects of Gly and Cu in soil, as well as the mitigating potential of biochar, an avoidance test was conducted using Eisenia fetida in artificial soil, following International Organization for Standardization standard 17512-1. Treatments were distributed across three experimental blocks, involving four concentrations of Gly (0, 25, 50, and 100 mg kg−1) and Cu (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1), applied either individually or in combination. A fourth block included the two highest combined concentrations, with the addition of 1% (w/w) BioC. Avoidance behavior was observed in response to Gly or Cu exposure, with concentration-dependent responses. Avoidance rates ranged from 40% to 60% for Gly and from 40% to 87% for Cu. In the combined treatments, avoidance responses were more pronounced, ranging from 60% to 100%, also displaying a clear dose–response effect. In the treatments with the highest combined concentrations of Gly and Cu (Gly50-Cu100 and Gly100-Cu200), the application of biochar significantly reduced avoidance behavior by 29% and 27%, respectively. Biochar represents a promising strategy for mitigating soil pollution by reducing these pollutants' bioavailability and toxicity to edaphic organisms. Although standardized artificial soil enhances experimental control, validation under more realistic soil conditions is warranted.

Salinity stress is a major constraint limiting crop productivity by inducing osmotic imbalance, ion toxicity, and oxidative damage. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of nanochelated fertilizers, including potassium-rich NPK (12–12–36; NPK1), balanced NPK (20–20–20; NPK2), and a micronutrient complex, on wheat and oat under varying salinity levels in a pot experiment, categorized as Non-saline (ECe=1.7 dS m-1), Slight-saline (ECe=2.9 dS m-1), Moderate-saline (ECe=6.2 dS m-1), and High-saline (ECe=12.5 dS m-1). Salinity significantly reduced growth and physiological traits. In wheat, shoot height decreased by 17.4% and biomass by 41.8% under high salinity, while in oats, reductions reached 23.5% and 41.0%, respectively. Photosynthetic rate (Pn) declined by 54.6% in wheat and 49.1% in oats, while chlorophyll content index (CCI) decreased by 23.0% and 51.9%, respectively. In contrast, oxidative stress markers increased substantially, with MDA rising 4.11-fold in wheat and 3.00-fold in oats, and proline increasing 1.80-fold and 3.37-fold, respectively. Application of nanochelated fertilizers mitigated these adverse effects across all salinity levels. According to morphological parameters, the more significant results were observed in wheat when applying a combination of NPK1 and micronutrient treatment, and in oats when applying NPK1 treatment. In particular, in wheat, the decrease in shoot height was 5.8%, in oats, 17.8%, in biomass, 25.0% (wheat) and 24.5% (oats). In the case of physiological parameters, according to Pn values, the combination of NPK2 and micronutrients treatment in the case of wheat and the NPK2 treatment in the case of oats had the most positive effect from nanochelated fertilizers, reducing the decline in Pn to 17.9% (wheat) and 10.0% (oats) under high salinity. The positive effect of nanochelated fertilizers on CCI values ​​was seen in the NPK2 treatment for both crops, with reductions limited to 12.5% ​​in wheat and 27.0% in oats. The combined treatment of NPK2 and micronutrients showed the most pronounced improvements in lipid peroxidation and enzymatic antioxidant activity. Lipid peroxidation stress marker MDA levels decreased by 1.29-fold (wheat) and 1.61-fold (oats) compared to high-saline controls. Antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly enhanced, with CAT increasing up to 1.27-fold (wheat) and 1.19-fold (oats), and SOD up to 1.26-fold and 1.21-fold, respectively. Proline amount also increased up to 1.13-fold (wheat) and 1.16-fold (oat). Yield-related traits declined under stress, with TKW decreasing by 46.7% in wheat and 17.1% in oats, but combination of NPK1 and micronutrients treatment in wheat, and micronutrients treatment in oats, reduction was limited to 23.3% ​​in wheat and 6.7% in oats, compared to the Non-saline Control. Nanochelated fertilizers enhanced salinity tolerance by improving growth, photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant defense, and ion regulation, showing potential for sustainable crop production under saline conditions.

Soil salinity is considered to be one of the major abiotic stresses, worldwide which disrupts water uptake, nutrient balance, and physiological processes and limits wheat growth and productivity leading to poor germination, stunting, and loss in yields. Nanoparticles (NPs) have great potential in improving plant salt stress tolerance. The effects of zinc oxide and silicon dioxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs and SiO2 NPs) and (50 mg/L) on seed germination in two Armenian wheat genotypes, Vars and Rima, at various levels of salt stress, as well as their early growth and physiological responses were studied.

In arid and semiarid areas of the world, drought and soil salinity are the main reasons for low production. The Ararat Plain, an important agricultural zone in Armenia, suffers strongly from salinity stress and the potential for agriculture in this region is largely reduced. Hence, it is important to select salt-tolerant crops and plant them in these areas where they can grow while helping in land reclamation to cope with food security challenges. Due to the increasingly serious soil salinity worldwide, in this part of the study the authors tested salinity tolerance ability of specific cultivar of Amaranthus “Ultra”. This study therefore attempted to characterize the salt stress resistance of A. “Ultra” and examine to what extent these responses are associated with salt tolerance mechanisms.

Soil salinity presents a significant nutritional challenge, characterized by high sodium (Na+) levels, which hamper agricultural productivity. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and biochar have gained attention as sustainable methods to mitigate abiotic stresses. However, there is limited information on using ZnO NPs combined with biochar to reduce salinity stress across different salinity levels ((i) non-saline, (ii) slightly saline, (iii) moderately saline, and (iv) highly saline). This study investigated the effects of applying biochar (1.3 w w-1in soil) and ZnO NPs (priming at 50 mg l-1and 100 mg l-1) alone and combined on the growth and nutrient availability of wheat genotypes (V1; Gohar and V2; Van) under salinity stress. Results showed that in the absence of amendments, plants experienced maximum growth retardation under slight to high salinity due to ionic, osmotic and oxidative stress, leading to reduced growth parameters (root and shoot lengths), biomass (fresh and dry weight), photosynthetic rate (via CCI analysis) and lower nutrient availability (K+), increased Na+/K+ratio and affected stress tolerance indices (STI). Application of biochar and ZnO NPs priming improved growth, biomass (fresh and dry weight), chlorophyll content, increased K+and decreased the Na+/K+ratio, enhancing the STI of wheat genotypes (V1; Gohar and V2; Van) under salinity stress. Notably, the combined treatment of ZnO NPs with biochar has a more pronounced beneficial effect. Overall, both individual and combined applications of ZnO NPs and biochar proved effective and sustainable strategies to alleviate salinity stress and enhance crop growth quality.

Heavy metal pollution of soils has brought potential risk to the environment and human health. The chapter is a long-term study evaluating the extent of heavy metal pollution in soils of one of Armenia's most important mining regions. Soil samples were taken from various distances (0–20 cm) of the surface of both active and abandoned mining sites. The sampling sites were selected based on accessibility and their distance from contaminant sources. Three other baseline soil properties, pH, texture, and organic matter content, were also taken to aid interpretation. Analytical methods for ecological risk assessment indices like potential ecological risk index (PERI), pollution index (PI), Nemerow integrated pollution index (NIPI) were useful for this study. The findings revealed that the concentration levels of some heavy metals were considerably higher than the local and world set standards, in close proximity to tailings and ore processing areas. Spatial distribution maps indicate a spatial association of heavy metals uptake with the distance from mining activities. According to the ecological risk assessment, there is high potential of phytotoxicity and wide contamination of food chain in treated sites. These results highlight the necessity for frequent monitoring and the application of reparation techniques such as phytoremediation to reduce heavy-metal risks in mining-affected areas of Armenia. The work adds to the limited literature on post-mining land use planning and environmental health in South Caucasus.

Salinity is one of the critical abiotic stresses negatively affecting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germination, seedling development, and yield potential [7–11]. This study evaluates the efficacy of biochar-based soil and NPs based seed priming along with zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs) in enhancing salt tolerance in two Armenian (Gohar and Van) wheat genotypes under three different levels of salinity stress (100, 200, and 300 mM). Seeds were primed with 50 and 100 mg/L concentrations of each ZnO-NPs and 1.3 % biochar. Morphological parameters (shoot/root length, fresh and dry biomass), physiological traits (plant height, transpiration rate), and biochemical characteristics (Na⁺, Cl⁻, and K⁺ ion concentrations, MDA, and antioxidant) were assessed. Salinity stress significantly impaired with these parameters’ growth and development in both genotypes. The findings suggest that priming of soil with biochar and seed with ZnO-NPs (50 and 100 mg/L) can serve as an efficient and sustainable strategy to mitigate salt-induced damage during early wheat development. These results support further investigation into priming technologies for improving crop resilience in salt-affected soils.

Water scarcity exacerbates malnutrition, especially in regions where chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are widely cultivated, due to micronutrient deficiencies. Mitigating water-limiting stress through cost-effective seed priming techniques using micronutrients and phytohormones is a novel attempt at ameliorating water stress through morpho-physiological and biochemical manifestations. This study evaluates the effectiveness of zinc (0.5%), boron (0.05%), and salicylic acid (0.5%) as priming agents on chickpea genotypes under water-limiting conditions, optimizing concentrations in lab conditions before field trials. Results indicated a progressive rise in various morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters in Bprimed treatments, followed by Zn and SA treatments, in both normal and water-limited environments. The findings suggest that precise nutrient and hormonal priming can enhance modern cropping systems by mitigating oxidative stress induced by water scarcity, presenting a promising avenue for sustainable agriculture.

Understanding the salinity stress processes is crucial for crop development and sustainable agriculture. Salinity stress has the highest level of adverse impact on crop growth and development, agricultural yield, and food security when compared with other abiotic stressors. Therefore, it is important to protect, investigate, and document traditional growing plants that can reduce salt damage and increase salt tolerance in newly grown crops for food security and sustainable agriculture. This research aimed to examine how the genotype of the cereal crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) responded to salinity stress. The seeds of the local genotype of barley (Alashkert) have been grown for 3 months in the greenhouse of YSU (Republic of Armenia), in perlite pots, while applying various concentrations of NaCl (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mM). In response to increased salt stress, barley's stem length and diameter, root, stem, leaf biomass and water content, chlorophyll content, and gas exchange all reduced. However, the data also demonstrate that the barley cultivar absorbs more Na+ ions and increases the Na+/K+ ratio within its leaves, shoots, and roots under higher saline conditions. Our findings suggest that the "Alashkert" local barley genotype has potential as a crop for use in saline agriculture in Armenia and other countries. Therefore, our in-depth primary analysis of barley genotype at physiological, morphological, and biochemical levels gives a comprehensive insight into the potential to improve agricultural practices for crop improvements and management programs.