Evaluation of rice straw, biochar and green material for soil remediation: a case study in Kasur, Pakistan

The main cause of agricultural soil pollution that endangers human health is tannery waste. Experiments were carried out to assess the effects of green material (GM), rice straw (RS), and rice straw biochar (RSB) on Triticum aestivum L. grown in tannery effluent-contaminated soil in the district Kasur, Pakistan. The application of GM, RS, and RSB significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the concentration of heavy metals (HMs) such as Cd, Pb, and Cr in amended soil. The bioaccumulation of Cd decreased by up to 59–34%, Pb by up to 58–42%, and Cr by up to 30–34% in Triticum aestivum L. shoot and roots with RSB amendment. Increased concentration of chlorophyll a by up to 74%, 30%, and 110%, chlorophyll b by up to 138%, 70%, and 225%, and carotenoids by up to 87%, 37%, and 140% was measured with GM, RS, and RSB amendment. However, reduced concentrations of SOD by up to 41%, 36%, and 72%, POD by up to 7%, 20%, and 55%, and CAT by up to 29%, 22%, and 38% were recorded with GM, RS, and RSB amendment. Data revealed that RSB was beneficial to Triticum aestivum L. growth, soil HMs remediation, and activating antioxidant enzymes. RSB can be used as a suitable amendment in the remediation of tannery polluted soil.