ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI MITIGATES NaCl INDUCED ADVERSE EFFECTS ON SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM L.

摘要

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of AMF on the growth and physio-biochemical attributes, antioxidantenzyme activities, plant growth regulators and inorganic nutrients in tomato grown under salt stress condition. Tomatoplants were exposed to different concentrations of NaCl alone (0, 50 and 150 mM) and in combination with AMF(0mM+AMF, 50mM+AMF and 150mM+AMF). Spore population and colonization, growth and biomass yield, pigments,membrane stability index and malondialdehyde were negatively affected. Exposure of plants to combination of NaCl andAMF showed positive impact on the above parameters. Proline and antioxidant enzyme activity increased with increasingconcentration of NaCl and further increase was observed in plants treated with NaCl in combination with AMF. Acid andalkaline phosphatase, hydrolytic enzymes and pectinase are also affected with increasing concentration of salt. Howeverplants treated with NaCl in combination with AMF balances the above enzymatic activity. Salt stress decreases the auxinconcentration in plants but application of AMF has been shown to restore the auxin content. ABA increases with saltconcentration but less accumulation of ABA have been found in plants treated with AMF. Regarding the nutrient uptake,Na+ and Na;K ratio increased and P, K, Mg and Ca decreases with increasing concentration of NaCl. Enhancedaccumulation of P, K, Mg, Ca and K:N ratio and less uptake of Na+ was observed in presence of AMF. The results confirmthat NaCl imposes threat to the survival of tomato plants and application of AMF mitigates the negative effect to anappreciable level.