Abstract
In order to test the hypothesis that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from saline soil have a higher capacity to alleviate the saline stress in plants than that of fungi from non-saline soil, cotton plants growth at four NaCl levels (0–3 g/kg) under greenhouse condition were inoculated with two Glomus mosseae isolates collected from non-saline soil (GM1) and saline soil (GM2). The results shown that the two isolates had different effects on growth and phosphorus, sodium and chloride uptake by cotton. Isolate GM1 increased biomass and phosphorus concentrations, but had no significant effects on sodium and chloride concentrations in cotton at the four NaCl levels. Isolate GM2 significantly improved plant growth at 3 g/kg NaCl and increased phosphorus concentrations at 0 and 1 g/kg NaCl, respectively. It also significantly increased sodium concentrations at 2 and 3 g/kg NaCl and chloride concentrations at 1–3 g/kg NaCl. Comparing the two isolates, cotton plants inoculated with GM1 had significantly higher biomass and phosphorus concentrations, but lower sodium and chloride concentrations than those inoculated with GM2 at 2 and 3 g/kg NaCl. These results did not support our initial hypothesis. The isolate GM2 had a lower capacity to alleviate saline stress in cotton than GM1 and this can be attributed to its higher capacity to increase the concentrations of sodium and chloride in cotton. It is concluded that the mechanisms for protecting plants from the detrimental effects of salinity by AM fungi may differ in their capability to influence the uptake of sodium and chloride.
Published Version
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