AM fungi ameliorates growth, yield and nutrient uptake in Cicer arietinum L. Under salt stress

Abstract

A pot experiment was performed to see the effect of two indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus mosseae and Acaulospora laevis, alone and in combination on growth, biomass and mineral nutrition of Cicer arietinum under different salinity levels imposed by 4, 8, and 12 dS/m EC solution (sodium chloride, calcium chloride and sodium sulphate). All AM inoculated plants showed significant increment in growth, biomass, mineral nutrition and yield over control. The extent of bioinoculants response on plant growth as well as root colonization decreases with the increase in the level of salinity. Among all the growth parameters plant height (26.4 ± 1.14 cm), root length (13.4 ± 1.67 cm), total chlorophyll (2.33 ± 0.02 mg/100 mg f. wt), root colonization (41.6 ± 2.70%) and AM spore number (63.8 ± 1.78 per 10 gm soil) were recorded highest in dual combination (G. mosseae and A. laevis) at 4 dS/m while fresh shoot (6.80 ± 0.67 gm) and dry shoot weight (0.96 ± 0.18 gm) was found maximum in G. mosseae at the same concentration of salinity. Greater Phosphorus (P) acquisition and yield was observed at 4 dS/m with dual combination (G. mosseae and A. laevis) that possibly be responsible to protect plants from salt stress. Although Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K) and Sodium (Na) contents also declined with increasing salinity. Overall results showed that mycorrhizal colonization improves host plant mineral concentration and thereby increases the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of C. arietinum ameliorating the harmful effect at salinity stress.