Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Induce Tolerance to Salinity Stress in Taro Plantlets (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) during Acclimatization

Abstract

Soil salinity is a problem that affects soil fertility and threatens agri-food crop production worldwide. Biotechnology, through plant micropropagation and the use of biofertilizers such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), is an alternative to increase productivity and induce tolerance to salinity stress in different crops. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different doses of the fungus Glomus intraradices on the ex vitro development of taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott cv. Criolla) plantlets under salinity stress during the acclimatization stage. In vitro-obtained C. esculenta plantlets were inoculated at different doses (0, 100, and 200 spores per plantlet) of G. intraradices during acclimatization. At 60 d of acclimatization in the greenhouse, plantlets were exposed to 100 mM NaCl salinity stress for 10 d. After the stress period, plantlet development, colonization percentage, and biomass were evaluated. In addition, the content of chlorophyll, carotenoids, proteins, proline, glycine-betaine, soluble phenols, and antioxidant capacity were quantified. The results showed differences in the developmental, physiological, and biochemical variables evaluated; however, no changes in total protein content were observed. Spore colonization showed that the symbiotic association has positive effects on the development of plantlets with or without salinity stress. This symbiotic interaction contributes to salinity stress tolerance in C. esculenta plantlets. The early application of AMF in in vitro-obtained taro plantlets is an alternative to increase or maintain the productivity of this crop in saline soils.

The Cryopreservation of Medicinal and Ornamental Geophytes: Application and Challenges

“…Colocasia genus-Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, known as taro, is an herbaceous plant belonging to the Aracaceae family. This plant is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions, and its corms are exported worldwide [73] for food purposes owing to their high starch, polysaccharide, and vitamin content and for medicinal value, including their antioxidant, antimetastatic, and anti-inflammatory properties, which occur as a result of secondary metabolites [74,75]. These nutritional, medicinal, and pharmaceutical properties make the taro corm a valuable plant genetic resource.…”

Salinity Stress Tolerance in Plants

“…In taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott), Baltazar-Bernal et al [10] reported that the early application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to taro plantlets obtained in vitro is an alternative to increase or maintain the productivity of this crop in saline soils.…”