Novel Organic Formulations’ Utilization as Remediators for Salt-Affected Soil Improves Wheat Growth, Physio-Biochemical Attributes, Productivity, and Economic Profitability

Abstract Overcoming the effects of soil salinity and maintaining agricultural productivity requires innovative technologies such as using novel organic formulations (NOFs) consisting of agricultural wastes, including compost of green bean plants (LCT) and maize silk (MS), with humic acid (HA). The effect of NOFs (HA + LCT, HA + MS, LCT + MS, and HA + LCT + MS) as soil remediators on the characteristics of saline soil (ECe = 7.03 dS m –1 ) and wheat plant performance grown in that soil was investigated. Compared with the control without any of the NOFs, all the NOFs applications considerably enhanced the soil organic matter (OM) content, nutrient contents, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and enzyme (urease, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase) activities with the superiority of HA + LCT + MS followed by LCT + MS treatment. The soil results were positively reflected in growth and physio-biochemical attributes of wheat plants. The best HA + LCT + MS treatment decreased leaf electrolyte leakage (39.5%) and hydrogen peroxide level (56.3%) while increasing chlorophyll content (59.0%), membrane stability index (30.8%), relative water content (34.3%), nutrient contents, K + /Na + ratio (67.0 and 59.0% for shoots and roots, respectively), antioxidant (glutathione, ascorbate, phenols, and flavonoids) levels, and antioxidant activity (24.0%) in wheat plants. All of the above positive results reflected an increase in plant growth traits such as shoot length (18.5%), leaf number plant –1 (10.1%), leaf area plant –1 (36.2%), shoot fresh weight (35.9%), and shoot dry weight (28.7%), and yield components like spike number plant –1 (56.8%), grain number spike –1 (28.7%), grain weight spike –1 (68.7%), and grain yield ha –1 (25.0%) with HA + LCT + MS treatment relative to the control. The beneficial impact of the HA + LCT + MS (followed by LCT + MS) formulation was more pronounced than other NOFs. Adding significant economic profitability, using the HA + LCT + MS (followed by LCT + MS) formulation to saline soil (ECe = 7.03 dS m –1 ) could mitigate the influences of soil salinity and improve wheat growth, physio-biochemical, and yield traits. Graphical Abstract Showing the effect of novel organic formulations on the physicochemical properties of salt-affected soil (ECe = 7.03 dS m −1 ) and the performance of wheat plants grown under the conditions of this salt-affected soil.