AMF inoculation and phosphorus supplementation alleviates drought induced growth and photosynthetic decline in Nicotiana tabacum by up-regulating antioxidant metabolism and osmolyte accumulation

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) improves phosphorus (P) uptake in plants and regulates growth under environmental stresses. Present trials were undertaken to study the effect of phosphorus (P, 40 mg kg−1 soil) supplementation and AMF (Glomus versiforme) inoculation on the growth performance of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. variety Yunyan 87) under drought stress. Supplementation of P and inoculation of AMF significantly enhanced growth, biomass accumulation and root activity of tobacco plants under normal conditions and mitigated the drought induced decline. Chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, photosynthesis and PSII efficiency increased due to AMF and P treatment attaining maximal values due to their combined treatment. Drought resulted in generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) like superoxide (O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) resulting in increased lipid peroxidation hence reducing membrane stability. Plants inoculated with AMF and/or supplemented with P exhibited reduced accumulation of ROS and lipid peroxidation. Content of osmolytes including proline, sugars and free amino acids were enhanced due to P and AMF treatment under normal as well as drought conditions that influenced the leaf relative water content. Reduction in oxidative damage in AMF and P treated plants was apparently linked with the stimulation of antioxidant system in them. Activities of SOD, CAT, APX, POD and GR, and the content of AsA and GSH improved significantly due to P and AMF treatment both under normal and drought conditions thereby ameliorating the oxidative effects. Further, accumulation of phenols increased more obviously due to P and/or AMF inoculation than in drought. Increased osmolyte and phenol content due to P and/or AMF helped tobacco plants to counteract the drought mediated damage by strengthening the non-enzymatic antioxidant system. P and/or AMF ameliorated the decline in contents of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous, and activity of nitrate reductase more due to their combined treatments. Drought induced decline in nicotine content was mitigated because of P and/or AMF treatment. Additionally, mycorrhizal inoculation along with P supplementation increased indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations both in roots and leaves under drought stress. Hence P supplementation along with AMF inoculation mitigates the photosynthetic alteration and growth in tobacco plants by up-regulating antioxidant system and osmolyte accumulation.