Taking the importance of agricultural production sustainability with limited resources to use efficiency in an arid area, afield experiment was designed to investigate the effect of three, Acacia trees (Acacia nilotica, A. seyal, and A. tortilis) planting combination on soil fertility and Sorghum bicolor L. growth and physiological performance. The sorghum planted in 7 strips between 14 rows of Acacia trees planting combinations and one treeless strip as control. Acacia species plantations significantly increase soil fertility in terms of available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and organic carbon (OC) contents as compared to control, highest level of N and P content (59.01 ± 1.45 and 58.77 ± 1.10 mg/kg) was reported in strip between rows of A. tortilis. Although the highest net photosynthesis rate (P<sub>n</sub>) and stomatal conductance (g<sub>s</sub>) recorded in plants grown between rows of pure A. torilis, and rows of A. torilis–A. seyal, but different Acacia significantly enhanced sorghum growth and physiology with reference to net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence (chlF). The results stated linear relation between soil nutrients (N, P, K), P<sub>n</sub>, and chlF increasing soil fertility improve physiological performance of sorghum. In conclusion, the three Acacia improve soil fertility and sorghum growth. Generally, this plantation trial can be environment-friendly alternative agricultural practices in Saudi Arabia or any area with a similar ecological condition to amend the soil and improve crop performance.
Considering the improvement of acacia species growth in arid and semi-arid environment, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF); Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae), Rhizophagus intraradices (syn. Glomus intraradices) and Claroideoglomus etunicatum (syn. Glomus etunicatum) on growth and drought tolerance of Acacia seyal Del. seedlings under drought cycles (7, 14, 21 and 28 days). AMF-inoculated seedlings showed a clear colonisation percentage (36–68%). AMF treatment significantly improved seedlings shoot and root growth under all drought cycles compared to non-AMF control seedlings. Moreover, AMF treatment enhanced seedlings drought resistance by increasing root surface area (root length increased by 483.76% and root tips number increased by 1 463.94% under 28 days of drought cycle), there was a strong linear relation between proline accumulation, AMF and drought stress (proline content decreased in treated seedlings by 31.3% and 14.3% and increased by 97.5% and 80.4% in untreated seedlings under drought cycles of 21 and 28 days, respectively). In conclusion, the AMF inoculation improved growth and enhanced drought tolerance of A. seyal seedlings and can be used as a natural biostimulator for acacias seedlings establishment in arid areas.
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