Currently, biochars are produced from a wide range of feedstocks with a broad diversity in physicochemical characteristics. Therefore, a diverse agronomic response of crop plants to biochars application was expected. A preliminary ecotoxicological assessment is necessary before application of biochar to soil, even though biochar is a recalcitrant carbon considered as a promising soil amendment because of its ability to climate change mitigation by sequestration of carbon in the soil. Thus, a Petri dish germination test was conducted to assess the effects of six walnut shell biochar rates (i.e., 0, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 120 Mg ha⁻¹) on seed germination and early growth of seedlings of fodder crops (Triticale cultivar X Triticasecale Wittmack and Pisum sativum sp. arvense L. varieties Taşkent and Özkaynak). A simple Petri dish bioassay method used to determine the effect of biochar rates on seed germination. Germination rate decreased with both higher and lower rate of biochar application. Results showed that the germination rate and growth indices were dependent on plant species. The seed germination rate of all three species was stimulated at the 40 Mg ha⁻¹ rate, but Taşkent mung bean occurred at the highest rate of 120 Mg ha⁻¹. Significantly higher germination rate and growth indices observed with the 40 and 80 Mg ha⁻¹ biochar rates, respectively. Biochar application generally increased seed germination at rates ≤ 40 Mg ha⁻¹ and seedling growth indices at rates ≤ 80 Mg ha⁻¹. This rapid test can be used as the first indicator of biochar effects on seed germination rate and early growth of seedlings. Farmers could use this test before investing in biochar application.

The aim of the current experiment was to evaluate the chemical composition, metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD), gas and methane production of some legume plants estimated by in vitro gas production technique, and to determine the relationship among chemical composition, ME, OMD, gas and methane production of some legume plants. Although species has a significant effect on the chemical composition, gas production, ME and OMD species has no effect on methane emission of legume hays. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) ranged from 22.86% to 42.93% and 20.24% to 37.16% respectively. Crude protein (CP) contents of legume hays ranged from 13.61% to 20.55%. Neutral detergent fibre and ADF contents of legume plants are negatively correlated with gas production, ME and OMD. It can be concluded that legume plant studied in the current experiment showed a wide nutritional diversity and will provide not only protein but also fibre for livestocks. They may exhibit complementary role for ruminant animals grazing on poor quality forages. Legume species studied in the current experiment had a no anti-methanogenic properties.

Irrigation water quality is of critical importance for optimum crop yield of economically important field crops in the Kahramanmaraş plains. A preliminary ecotoxicological assessment is necessary before large-scale irrigation. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the quality of irrigation water supplied from different water sources (Karasu, Erkenez, and Oklu streams on the Aksu River and Sır Dam) and the effects on the seed germination and early seedling growth of different field crops (wheat, alfalfa, ryegrass, and maize) irrigated with this water. For this, in order to evaluate the effects on seed germination and early growth parameters of forage crop seedlings, a Petri dish germination test was carried out with four replications using a completely randomized design (CRD). Before the germination assay, heavy metal concentrations including copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd) were analyzed in water samples obtained from different water sources. In all water samples used for the experiment, Cu concentrations exceeded the acceptable limit of 0.2 mg L⁻¹. The Cu levels found were 0.98 mg L⁻¹ in Karasu (KC), 1.627 mg L⁻¹ in Oklu (OC), 0.945 mg L⁻¹ in Erkenez (EC), and 1.218 mg L⁻¹ in Sır Dam (SD) waters. Additionally, Fe exceeded the limit only in KC, while Cd surpassed the permissible levels in EC and SD water samples. Seeds exposed to different water treatments were germinated in a climate chamber at 20 ± 1 °C. Over two weeks, daily germination and seedling growth parameters were measured. The results indicated that higher heavy metal concentrations in irrigation water led to a decline in seed germination rates and adversely impacted early seedling growth. Notably, water from Karasu Creek exhibited the most significant negative impact on all germination and growth parameters in the tested crops, especially due to Cu and Fe metal toxicity. Additionally, ryegrass seeds were most affected by these irrigation waters. This study highlights the importance of using uncontaminated quality irrigation water for optimal crop production by quantifying its impact, such as the percentage of decrease in germination or seedling growth.