Biochar-microbe synergy enhances auxin-mediated soil–plant interactions for canola productivity in alkaline calcareous soil

. 2025 Aug 21;15(36):29509–29527. doi: 10.1039/d5ra03240g

Treatments	Plant Height (cm)		Shoot length (cm)		Root length (cm)		Root Fresh biomass (g)		Root Dry biomass (g)
Treatments	V1	V2	V1	V2	V1	V2	V1	V2	V1	V2
Without Biochar
CK	47 ± 1.41ⁱ	52 ± 1.65ⁱ	86 ± 1.73^k	91 ± 2.31^jk	9 ± 0.57^j	10.7 ± 0.33^ij	48.7 ± 1.45^k	51 ± 1.15^k	3.53 ± 0.46^h	4.93 ± 0.58^gh
MN-24	79 ± 1.35^fg	86 ± 1.70^ef	136 ± 2.31^ef	141.7 ± 2.60^de	18.7 ± 1.20^e–g	20.3 ± 0.88^d–g	66 ± 1.15^h	70.3 ± 1.46^g	7.7 ± 0.61^c–g	8.27 ± 0.58^b–f
P. indica	75 ± 1.31^g	80 ± 1.53^fg	111.7 ± 2.60^h	115.3 ± 2.61^h	14.3 ± 0.88^hi	16.7 ± 0.88^gh	59 ± 1.46ⁱ	63.3 ± 1.45^hi	6 ± 0.58^e–h	6.7 ± 0.58^d–h
MN-24 + P. indica	95 ± 1.41^cd	101 ± 1.45^c	171.7 ± 2.90^c	176.3 ± 3.18^bc	24.3 ± 0.88^cd	27 ± 1.15^bc	90 ± 1.16^d	95.3 ± 1.45^c	9.49 ± 0.64^a–d	9.99 ± 0.61^a–c

With Biochar
CK	61 ± 1.70^h	61 ± 1.44^h	96.3 ± 2.61^ij	101 ± 1.73ⁱ	11.7 ± 0.88^ij	12.3 ± 0.89^ij	52.3 ± 1.45^jk	55.3 ± 1.20^j	5 ± 0.98^f–h	5.43 ± 0.58^e–h
MN-24	86 ± 1.67^ef	90 ± 1.56^de	146 ± 2.89^d	150.3 ± 2.03^b	21 ± 0.58^d–f	22.3 ± 0.88^de	79 ± 1.15^e	82 ± 1.15^e	7.97 ± 0.57^b–g	8.51 ± 0.58^b–e
P. indica	83 ± 1.56^e–g	86 ± 1.45^ef	121 ± 2.31^gh	127.7 ± 2.60^fg	17.7 ± 0.88^f–h	18.3 ± 0.89^e–h	71 ± 1.15^g	75 ± 1.15^f	6.67 ± 0.57^d–h	6.83 ± 0.58^c–g
MN-24 + P. indica	122 ± 1.53^b	132 ± 1.70^a	181.3 ± 2.60^b	196.7 ± 2.61^a	29.3 ± 0.88^ab	32 ± 0.57^a	100.3 ± 1.46^b	106 ± 1.16^a	11.21 ± 0.56^ab	12.73 ± 0.59^a

Means with different letters differ significantly according to LSD at a 5% probability level; crop = canola; V1 = DGL (dark green leaves) and V2 = Faisal canola; CK = control; bacteria used = Acinetobacter baumannii sp. MN-24; fungus used = Piriformospora indica