The Impact of Inoculation with Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi on Tomato Tolerance to Salt Stress and Nutrients Uptake in Sandy Soil

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of mycorrhiza (Glomus macrocarpium) with two phosphorus and nitrogen levels (50 and 75 % Optimal dose) and two water salinity levels (2800 ppm (S1) and 3800ppm (S2)) on yield, nutrients uptake and growth parameters of tomato plant. A field experiment was conducted at El Sheikh Zowaied Research Station, North Sinai, Egypt during two successive seasons. The obtained results showed that inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi reduces the negative impact of salinity in growth parameters, nutrient contents and yield of tomato by increasing significantly the shoot and root weights by 38.6, 48.65% and 38.7, 47.86%; leaf area and chlorophyll content by 12.36, 29.90% and 12.93, 30.87%; root/shoot ratio by 19.17 and 11.43% and marketable yield by 29.99 and 33.63%. While significantly reduce the loss of unmarketable yield from 11.05 to 8.86% for the two seasons, respectively. Also, mycorrhizal inoculation increases significantly the plant N by 6.34 and 5.31%; P by 23.66 and 22.03% ad K by 3.64 and 3.15% for both seasons respectively. Similarly, mycorrhizal inoculation significantly improved microbial activities in the soil rhizosphere area of tomato plants. The total microbial counts, phosphatase enzyme, root colonization and soil mycorrhizal spores increases by 33.60 and 35.00%; 45.92 and 52.88%; 257.14 and 257.89% and 34.18 and 34.47% for two seasons, respectively. Mineral fertilizers at 75% of optimal dose increase all traits parameters compared with 50%. In general, these results showed that mycorrhizal fungi represent a promising resource for improving both sustainable food production under salt conditions and human nutritional needs.