Effect of ammonium nitrate on novel cactus pear genotypes aided by biobattery in a semi-arid ecosystem

Plant Microbial Fuel cell (P-MFC) i.e., biobattery is an emerging sustainable technology, which has an obstacle in plant selection with minimal requirement of water resources. Further optimization of the semi-deserting plant under vigorous conditions has a great challenge. In the present study, a P-MFC has been used to evaluate the improvement of power generation in the growth of four cactus pear genotypes aided by ammonium nitrate under semi-arid conditions. Thus, a dosage of 150 mg L-1 of NH4NO3 per week was applied to the cactus based P-MFCs. Polarization experiments showed that bioelectricity production went from 39 +/- 2.74 to 499.2 +/- 10.3 mW m(-3) in O. joconostle after treatment. In turn, regarding the long-term operation, O. joconostle showed the highest average power density of 145.39 +/- 4.09 mW m(-3). The resultant correlation showed soil electrical conductivity (EC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) with lower R-int and relative performance. For the plant height parameter, there were significant differences (P-value < 0.05) among the four genotypes evaluated in this study. O. albicarpa indicated the best height of 71.55 +/- 0.21 cm. P-MFCs based on semi-desert plants are an economical, viable and sustainable option which could be used in low-income rural areas.