Improved Growth of Tomato in Salinized Soil by Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Collected from Saline Soils

Abstract

Vesicular-arbuscular (VA) mycorrhizal fungi were collected and identified from saline locations throughout southern and central California and Nevada. From this collection, 38 soil samples containing VA mycorrhizal fungi from 22 plant species were used to inoculate tomato seedlings and evaluate their growth under artificial salinization. Six samples significantly improved growth of tomato in salinized soil when compared to a salinized, nonmycorrhizal control. Growth with 14 samples in salinized soil was as good as growth of a nonmycorrhizal control in nonsalinized soil. Glomusfasciculatum consistently provided the largest growth response. Negative correlations were found between the amount of mycorrhizal colonization on tomato roots in the greenhouse and electrical conductivity, Na concentration, and osmotic potential of the saline soil samples from the field. The amount of mycorrhizal colonization on hosts in the field from which the soil samples were collected was not correlated to growth response or mycorrhizal colonization of tomato in the greenhouse.