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Article

Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth

1
Department of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, 82100 Benevento, Italy
2
Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Av., 10, 41012 Seville, Spain
3
Department of Biology, University of Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
4
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2020, 10(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010005
Submission received: 27 October 2019 / Revised: 10 December 2019 / Accepted: 15 December 2019 / Published: 18 December 2019

Abstract

Agriculture has changed dramatically due to mechanization, new technologies, and the increased use of chemical fertilizers. These factors maximize production and reduce food prices, but may also enhance soil degradation. Sustainable agricultural practices include altering crop varieties and the use of soil amendments to increase production, improve irrigation, and more effectively use fertilizers. Ancient and modern durum wheat varieties have been shown to be tolerant to conditions caused by climate change and increase production. Biochar soil amendments have been reported to increase crop yields, soil fertility, and to promote plant growth. However, results are variable depending on biomass source, application conditions, and crop species. This study evaluates the crop response of two contrasting durum wheat varieties on an Eutric Cambisol amended with beech wood biochar. Wheat varieties used are Saragolla, an ancient variety traditionally used in Southern Italy, and Svevo, a widely used commercial variety. The effect of biochar soil amendment on the expression of genes involved in the germination of these two varieties of wheat was determined using RT-PCR. The content of hormones such as gibberellins (GAs), auxins (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) was determined. Results demonstrate that biochar had a stimulatory effect on the growth performances of Svevo and Saragolla cultivars at the molecular level. This correlated to the promoted transcription of genes involved in the control of plant development. Overall, the presence of biochar as soil amendment improved the germination rates of both varieties, but the ancient wheat cultivar was better suited to the Eutric Cambisol than the commercial variety. This trend was also observed in un-amended pots, which may indicate better adaptability of the ancient wheat cultivar to withstand environmental stress than the commercial variety.
Keywords: wheat; biochar; germination; hormone; gene expression wheat; biochar; germination; hormone; gene expression

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MDPI and ACS Style

Racioppi, M.; Tartaglia, M.; De la Rosa, J.M.; Marra, M.; Lopez-Capel, E.; Rocco, M. Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth. Agronomy 2020, 10, 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010005

AMA Style

Racioppi M, Tartaglia M, De la Rosa JM, Marra M, Lopez-Capel E, Rocco M. Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth. Agronomy. 2020; 10(1):5. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010005

Chicago/Turabian Style

Racioppi, Marco, Maria Tartaglia, José María De la Rosa, Mauro Marra, Elisa Lopez-Capel, and Mariapina Rocco. 2020. "Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth" Agronomy 10, no. 1: 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010005

APA Style

Racioppi, M., Tartaglia, M., De la Rosa, J. M., Marra, M., Lopez-Capel, E., & Rocco, M. (2020). Response of Ancient and Modern Wheat Varieties to Biochar Application: Effect on Hormone and Gene Expression Involved in Germination and Growth. Agronomy, 10(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010005

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