| Summary: | Pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L.) leaf chlorophyll and pigments syntheses are retarded under nutritional stress. Biochar has the potential to regulate soil nutrient supplies and optimize plant nutrient uptakes. We examine the role of <i>Pongamia pinnata</i> L. waste leaf biochar (PLB) in improving vegetative growth and leaf chlorophyll and accessory pigments of pea exposed to nutritional stress. Three PLB application rates (0, 1, and 2%) crossed with half (HF), and full NPK fertilizer (FF) recommended doses were applied to sandy soil field-pots (arranged in a completely randomized design). There were significant or maximum increases in plant vegetative or physiological traits, including the fresh or dry, above- and below-ground biomass weights, and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanin) in response to a 2%PLB + FF application (<i>p</i> = 0.002). Trait values also responded to 2%PLB + HF, which signified the nutrient regulatory character of PLB (<i>p</i> = 0.038). The PLB-driven reduction in nutritional stress resulted in diminished lycopene (antioxidant) content (<i>p</i> = 0.041). Therefore, we suggest that the soil application of 2%PLB + FF has the greatest impact on pea vegetative growth and leaf chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanin, and lycopene contents in <i>Pisum sativum</i> L. Further research is recommended to investigate the relationship of PLB with soil nutrient availabilities and plant nutrient concentrations.
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