Calcite in combination with olive pulp biochar reduces Ni mobility in soil and its distribution in chili plant

The presence of Ni above the permissible limit in agriculture soils poses negative effects on soil health, crop quality, and crop productivity. Surprisingly, the usage of various organic and inorganic amendments can reduce Ni mobility in the soil and its distribution in the crops. A pot experiment was conducted to elucidate the effects of olive pulp biochar (BR), calcite (CAL), and wheat straw (WS), as sole amendments and their mixtures of 50:50 ratio, added to Ni polluted soil on Ni mobility in the soil, Ni immobilization index (Ni - IMi), soil enzymatic activities, Ni distribution in parts of chili plant, Ni translocation factor and bioaccumulation factor in fruit, plant growth parameters and oxidative stress encountered by the plants. Outcomes of this pot experiment revealed that amendments raised soil pH, improved soil enzymatic activities, values of Ni - IMi, while significantly reduced bioavailable Ni fraction in the post-harvest soil. However, the highest activities of acid phosphatase, urease, catalase, and dehydrogenase by 50, 70, 239, and 111%, respectively, improvement in Ni - IMi up to 60% while 60% reduction in the bioavailable Ni fraction was observed in BR + CAL treatment, compared to control was noted. Among all amendments, the top most reduction in Ni concentrations in shoots, roots, fruit, Translocation Factor (TF), and Bioaccumulation Factor (BAF) values of fruit by 72%, 36%, 86%, 72%, and 86%, in BR + CAL treatment, compared to control. Moreover, the plants growing on BR + CAL amended Ni contaminated soil showed the topmost improvement in plant phonological parameters while encountered the least oxidative stress. Such findings refer to the prospective usage of BR + CAL at 50:50 ratio than BR, CAL, WS alone, and BR + WS as well as WS + CAL for reducing Ni mobility in the soil, improving Ni - IMi, soil enzymatic activities, plant phonological and oxidative stress while reducing Ni distribution in plant parts. Novelty statement In this experiment, it was hypothesized that amending Ni polluted soil with olive pulp biochar (BR), CAL, and WS as alone soil amendments and their combinations at 50:50 ratios can reduce Ni bioavailability in soil, Ni distribution in chili plant and oxidative stress encountered by the plants. Moreover, these amendments may improve, soil enzymatic activities, Ni immobilization index, plant phenological traits. Therefore, it was aimed to undertake useful scientific planning and research, to restore and rehabilitate the dwellings, biological resources and to minimize the sufferings of the peoples in nutrient-poor Ni contaminated soils, by improving soil health and chili productivity.

Automated summary

The addition of a mixture of olive pulp biochar and calcite can effectively reduce the bioavailability of nickel in soil, improve soil enzymatic activities, and reduce nickel content in plant parts. This contributes to enhanced plant growth and reduced oxidative stress.