Temporal Dynamics of Rhizosphere Soil Physicochemical Properties in Sorghum bicolor Under Salinity and Drought Stress

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of salinity and drought stress on rhizospheric soil physicochemical properties of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) across developmental stages to identify the major factors associated with soil variability during plant growth.Rhizospheric soil samples were collected from healthy, salinity-stressed, and drought-stressed sorghum plants at germination, 7, 14, 21, and 35 days after germination (DAG). Soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), and available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were determined. Temporal variation and treatment effects were assessed using PERMANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical clustering.