Biochar addition and reduced irrigation modulates leaf morpho-physiology and biological nitrogen fixation in faba...

Intercropping legume with grass has potential to increase biomass and protein yield via biological N₂-fixation (BNF) benefits, whereas the joint effects of biochar (BC) coupled with deficit irrigation on intercropping systems remain elusive. A ¹⁵N isotope-labelled experiment was implemented to investigate morpho-physiological responses of faba bean-ryegrass intercrops on low- (550 °C, LTBC) or high-temperature BC (800 °C, HTBC) amended sandy-loam soil under full (FI), deficit (DI) and partial root-zone drying irrigation (PRD). LTBC and HTBC significantly reduced intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE) by 12 and 14 %, and instantaneous WUE by 8 and 16 %, respectively, in faba bean leaves, despite improved photosynthetic (A_n) and transpiration rate (T_r), and stomatal conductance (g_s). Compared to FI, DI and PRD lowered faba bean A_n, g_s and T_r, but enhanced leaf-scale and time-integrated WUE as proxied by the diminished shoots Δ¹³C. PRD enhanced WUE as lower g_s, T_r and guard cell length than DI-plants. Despite higher carbon ([C]) and N concentration ([N]) in faba bean shoots amended by BC, the aboveground C- and N-pool of faba bean were reduced, while these pools increased for ryegrass. The N-use efficiency (NUE) in faba bean shoots was reduced by 9 and 14 % for LTBC and HTBC, respectively, but not for ryegrass. Interestingly, ryegrass shoots had 52 % higher NUE than faba bean shoots. The N derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa) was increased by 2 and 9 % under LTBC and HTBC, respectively, while it decreased slightly by reduced irrigation. Quantity of BNF in faba bean aboveground biomass decreased with HTBC coupled with reduced irrigation, mainly towards decreased biomass and soil N uptake by faba bean. Therefore, HTBC might not be a feasible option to improve WUE and BNF in faba bean-ryegrass intercropping, but PRD is permissible as the clear trade-off between BC and PRD.