The effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis on metal accumulation and plant tolerance are not commonly studied in medicinal plants under metal stress. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of mycorrhiza on alfalfa plants with the increase of Zn and Cd toxicity. The experiment was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions. Zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) uptake, some biochemical and physiological parameters were studied in eight-week-old alfalfa plants in response to inoculation or not with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (
Salinity reduces the uptake of manganese (Mn) and induces its deficiency, which adversely affects photosynthesis-related photosystem-II activity, hence growth is hampered. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of Mn application on the photosystem-II activity on the isolated thylakoid membranes of the rice. A hydroponic study was carried out in the glasshouse of National Agriculture Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan on two rice varieties, Pakhal and KS-282, using three replicates. Three salt concentrations, namely 0, 25, 50 mM NaCl were used. Manganese sulphate was used for foliar and root application with four concentrations (0, 2, 4, 8 µg Mn mL -1 ). Salinity decreased the concentration of Mn, while the application of Mn, increased the contents of Mn in shoot and root. Increased salt concentration caused a decrease in the chlorophyll contents while Mn application increased chlorophyll contents across all the salinity levels, with maximum increase at 2 µg Mn mL -1 . Photosystem-II activity was inhibited by increasing salt concentration, while Mn treatment rescued this inhibitory affect, with maximum photosystem-II activity recovery at 2 µg Mn mL -1 level in both varieties. Quite high concentration of Mn was observed in root application methods as compared to foliar but it failed to recover salinity impact on photosystem-II and photosynthesis. Applying Mn as foliar increased tolerance to salinity at 50 mM NaCl level while root application was found better at 25 mM NaCl concentration in culture solution.
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