Search

Abstract Environmental stressors such as drought, salinity, and heavy metals pose significant obstacles to achieving sustainable food security, necessitating the development of universally applicable and cost-effective solutions to ameliorate soil under stress. Biochar, an eco-friendly material to increase crop yield, has been researched for almost two decades and has great potential for global use in enhancing stress resistance. However, there hasn't been comprehensive research on the impact of biochar application on soil properties, and root and crop growth. To optimize and promote biochar application in agriculture under stress, this study integrates over 100 peer-reviewed articles to explain how biochar promotes crop growth by enhancing soil resistance to stress. Biochar's distinctive properties, such as porous structure, alkaline nature, enriched surface functional groups, and nutrient content, are responsible for the following soil environment benefits: improved soil physiochemical properties, increased nutrient cycling, and boosted microbial growth. Moreover, the research emphasizes that the enhanced stress resistance of biochar optimizes nutrient absorption, alleviates soil pollutants, and thereby enhances overall crop productivity. The study discusses the roles and mechanisms of biochar on soil under stress, as well as the challenges linked to the sustainable and economical implementation of biochar in extreme soil conditions. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for the widespread and cost-effective use of biochar in improving soil under stresses, thereby enhancing soil health and food security. Graphical Abstract

BackgroundAccumulating evidence has linked dyslipidemia during pregnancy to the risk of delivering infants born either large for gestational age (LGA) or small for gestational age (SGA). However, the effects of the vitamin D status on these relationships require further investigation. This study investigated whether the relationship between lipid profiles and the risk of LGA or SGA was influenced by vitamin D levels during the second trimester.MethodsMaternal lipid profile levels, including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and vitamin D levels, were measured in a cohort of 6,499 pregnant women during the second trimester. Multivariate regression models and subgroup analyses were employed to evaluate the potential associations between maternal lipid profiles, vitamin D levels, and the risk of LGA or SGA.ResultsThe prevalence of SGA infants was 9.8% (n=635), whereas that of LGA infants was 6.9% (n=447). Maternal TG levels were found to be positively associated with the risk of LGA (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.17–1.70), whereas a negative association was observed between maternal TG, TC, LDL-C levels, and risk of SGA. Additionally, mothers with higher HDL-C levels were less likely to give birth to an LGA infant (OR=0.58, 95% CI:0.39–0.85). Importantly, associations between TG, TC, LDL-c, and SGA as well as between TG and LGA were primarily observed among pregnant women with insufficient vitamin D levels. As for HDL-C, the risk of LGA was lower in mothers with sufficient vitamin D (OR = 0.42, 95% CI:0.18–0.98) compared to those with insufficient vitamin D (OR = 0.65, 95% CI:0.42–0.99).ConclusionVitamin D status during the second trimester exerts a modifying effect on the association between lipid profiles and the risk of LGA and SGA infants.