Biochar-assisted restoration of saline–sodic farmlands in the Eastern Province Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

Saline-sodic soils constrain agricultural productivity in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, where irrigation with brackish groundwater and high evaporative demand lead to salt accumulation and structural degradation. This article evaluates biochar as a nature-based amendment for rehabilitating degraded farmlands in Al-Ahsa. We integrate multi-year open datasets on climate, irrigation water quality, and soil classes with a before-after panel of field plots amended with locally produced date-palm waste biochar at ten and twenty metric tons per hectare. Outcomes include soil electrical conductivity, sodium adsorption ratio, bulk density, infiltration rate, soil organic carbon, water use, and barley yield. Comparative and dynamic analyses are combined with an index of soil quality and cluster segmentation to benchmark treatment effects. Over two seasons, biochar reduced salinity and sodicity, improved hydraulic properties, and increased yields while lowering irrigation demand. Findings validate biochar as a scalable pathway for climate-smart restoration in arid saline landscapes and profitability.

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