Resistance Induction in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Against Salinity Stress Through Biochar as a Soil Amendment and Salicylic Acid-Induced Signaling

Abiotic stressors have affected seed germination, vigor, and ultimate productivity of several important crops, including Cicer arietinum. Many efforts have been made to make chickpeas adaptable to climate change and its resulting abiotic stresses. Therefore, the current study was designed to check the tolerance of chickpea under salinity stress through salicylic acid and biochar application. Two varieties of chickpea seeds, Bittle (V1) and Parbat (V2), were primed in a 150 ppm solution of salicylic acid and sown in earthen pots. Soil and biochar obtained from Acacia nilotica were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‑Ray spectroscopy. Germination parameters including MGT, T⁵⁰, GI, CVG, TGI, and GE were improved from 5–3 days, 7–5 days, 61–55%, 2.3–2.7 days, 70–57%, and 3.2–3.5 days for V1 and from 7–3 days, 6–8 days, 58–55%, 2.9–2.7 days, 72–61% and 7–3 days for V2 respectively. Agronomic parameters including FE%, AGR, NAR, LAR, %MC, and CGR were amplified to 100%, 1.3–1.2 mg, 2–3 mg, 5–6 mg, 73–88% and 0.02–0.09 mg for V1 and 89–82%, 0.4–0.6 mg, 4–3 mg, 6–5 mg, 56–58% and 0.05–0.05 mg for V2 respectively. Conclusively, V1 was more suitable and was frequent in response to salicylic acid and biochar during seed germination and the vegetative period.