Abstract

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a highly valued medicinal plant, widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, therefore its natural habitat is dwindling sharply in the Aral Sea region. Considering the essential role of this salt-tolerant halophyte for ecosystem functions, urgent actions are needed to help restore degraded landscapes. The experiment was conducted during vegetation seasons 2022 and 2023 in saline lands (EC~10-12 dS m-1) of Karakalpakstan using a split-plot design with an RCBD arrangement. The effects of seed bio-treatments, i.e.  BIST, Zamin, and Geogumat on the root yield of licorice and its quality as well as microbial community composition in the root rhizosphere were studied in abandoned saline land. Results indicate that the Geogumat application increased the seed germination by 24.3%, root biomass by 37% and glycyrrhizin content by 12.7%. Similarly, Zamin and BIST also significantly enhanced these parameters compared to the control under soil salinity stress. It has been found that licorice as a legume interacted with N2-fixing microbes, thereby significantly increased NPK availability in the soil. The root and shoot biomass increased in response to the seed bio-treatments, most likely because of improved soil microbial activity. The presented eco-friendly research endeavors in this study might be considered as a significant solution to convert abandoned saline lands into sustainable agricultural production, thereby reducing the negative impacts of climate change and restoring ecosystem functionality.

Keywords: Licorice, biofertilizers, saline soil, arid environment, beneficial bacteria, ecosystem sustainability.

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