AMF Inoculation Enhances Growth and Improves the Nutrient Uptake Rates of Transplanted, Salt-Stressed Tomato Seedlings

Abstract

Abstract:The study aimed to investigate the effects of commercially available AMF inoculate (Glomus sp. mixture) on the growth and the nutrient acquisition in tomato (Solanumlycopersicum L.) plants directly after transplanting and under different levels of salinity. Inoculated (AMF+) and non-inoculated (AMF´) tomato plants were subjected to three levels of NaCl salinity (0, 50, and 100 mM¨NaCl). Seven days after transplanting, plants were analyzed for dry matter and RGR of whole plants and root systems. Leaf tissue was analyzed for mineral concentration before and after transplanting; leaf nutrient content and relative uptake rates (RUR) were calculated. AMF inoculation did not affect plant dry matter or RGR under fresh water-irrigation. The growth rate of AMF´plants did significantly decline under both moderate (77%) and severe (61%) salt stress compared to the fresh water-irrigated controls, while the decline was much less (88% and 75%,respectively)and statistically non-significant in salt-stressed AMF+ plants. Interestingly, root system dry matter of AMF+ plants (0.098 g plant -1 ) remained significantly greater under severe soil salinity compared to non-inoculated seedlings (0.082 g plant -1 ). The relative uptake rates of N, P, Mg, Ca, Mn, and Fe were enhanced in inoculated tomato seedlings and remained higher under (moderate) salt stress compared to AMF´plants This study suggests that inoculation with commercial AMF during nursery establishment contributes to alleviation of salt stress by maintaining a favorable nutrient profile. Therefore, nursery inoculation seems to be a viable solution to attenuate the effects of increasing soil salinity levels, especially in greenhouses with low natural abundance of AMF spores.

Artificial Inoculation of AM Fungi Improves Nutrient Uptake Efficiency in Salt Stressed Pea (Pissum Sativum L) Plants

“…Serious deleterious effects of salinity on plant growth and productivity are reported by a large number of publications , Porcel et al, 2012, Colla et al, 2012, Balliu et al, 2015. The results of this experiment did also prove that the presence of NaCl in the irrigation water drastically reduces the growth of pea plants.…”

Effects of Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation on Green Pepper Yield and Mineral Uptake under Irrigation with Saline Water

“…Plant height was significantly higher in AM than nonAM plants regardless of salinity level ( Table 2). The beneficial effects of mycorrhizal fungi on plant growth under saline conditions have been demonstrated in various plant species, by Al-Karaki [4] and Balliu et al [25] in tomato, Zuccarine [26] in lettuce, Pereira et al [18], Kaya et al [7] and Cekic et al [8] in pepper plants.…”

“…However, shoot P contents are significantly higher in AM than nonAM plants grown under both saline and nonsaline conditions, while shoot N and K contents were significantly higher in AM than non AM plants only under nonsaline and medium (SW1) saline conditions ( Table 4). The higher mineral nutrient uptake in AM compared to nonAM plants (higher contents of N, P and K) under saline conditions likely occurred because of improvement of soil exploration by mycorrhizal extraradical hyphae that extend beyond root depletion zone which resulted in reducing antagonistic effects of salinity on nutrients uptake [25,27]. Enhanced uptake of N, P and K by AM plants has been reported by many researchers for different vegetable crops grown under saline conditions [25,[27][28][29].…”

“…The higher mineral nutrient uptake in AM compared to nonAM plants (higher contents of N, P and K) under saline conditions likely occurred because of improvement of soil exploration by mycorrhizal extraradical hyphae that extend beyond root depletion zone which resulted in reducing antagonistic effects of salinity on nutrients uptake [25,27]. Enhanced uptake of N, P and K by AM plants has been reported by many researchers for different vegetable crops grown under saline conditions [25,[27][28][29]. Concentrations and contents of Na were significantly lower in the shoots of AM than nonAM pepper plants grown under both saline but not nonsaline conditions (Tables 3 and 4).…”

“…Many studies have indicated that AM fungi contribute to plant growth via enhancement of mineral nutrient uptake particularly that of P and N and hence improve salt tolerance in different vegetable crops grown under saline conditions [2,12,[25][26][27][28][29]. Mycorrhizal inoculation has been also reported to reduce the negative effects of Na by maintaining vacuolar membrane integrity, which prevents this ion from interfering in growth metabolic pathways [31].…”