Combined Application of Biochar and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Improves Heavy Metal and Drought Stress Tolerance in .

Plants are often exposed to multiple stresses, including heavy metals (HM) and drought, which limit the plant growth and productivity. Though biochar or plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have been widely used for alleviating HM or drought stress in plants, the study of the effects of combined treatment with biochar and PGPR under simultaneous HM and drought stress is limited. This study investigated individual and combined effects of groundnut shell biochar (GS-BC) and PGPR strain ARN7 on growth, physiology, and HM accumulation, along with their impact on soil enzymes under HM (Ni and Zn), drought, or HM+drought stress.