EFFECTS OF BIOCHAR ON ROOT MORPHOLOGY CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF RHIZOSPHERE SOIL AND NITROGEN ACCUMULATION OF WHEAT (Triticum Aestivum L.)

Biochar has proved to substantially improve plant growth and yields. The increased plant growth may come with the response of plant root and rhizosphere induced by hiochar, which is important to nutrient uptake. However, influence of adding biochar on root and the rhizosphere soil has not been well understood. Maize straw biochar (MBC) (pyrolysed at 350 degrees C) was added into soil at the rates of 0%, 1%, 2,5 c and 5% (w,w) respectively to investigate their effects on root morphological. rhizosphere soil chemical properties and nitrogen accumulation of wheat. The results indicated that MBC application into soil increased wheat biomass, as well as the total root length. root surface area and root volume were significantly increased by 25.9-35,4%, 18.8-49.0% and 28.2-74.1%, respectively. However, the wheat biomass and root traits did not increase with increasing MBC rate, suggesting that excessive biochar addition may not lead to higher biomass and the biochar rate should be controlled at an optimal level, Moreover. Adding MBC markedly increased the rillzosphere soil pH, CEC and TN by 16.6-25,6%, 16,117.5% % and 10.3-21,8 % respectively, indicating that MBC could enhance the wheat rhizosphere effect, Nevertheless, hiochar addition lowered NAE. This indicated that less nitrogen was absorbed by the wheat but more biomass was produced using the equivalent amount of nitrogen in the MMBCamended soil compared to that of the control, thus, MBC addition may decrease nitrogen fertilizer demand for wheat growth.