Effect of Mycorrhizal Fungus (Glomus spp) on Wheat (Triticumaestivum) Yield and Yield Components with Regard to Irrigation Water Quality

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• S Habibi ¹
• M Meskarbashee ²
• M Farzaneh ¹

¹ Shahid Chamran University

² Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

10.22067/gsc.v13i3.51155

Abstract

Introduction
Decrease in water quality affected by salinization of the water resources due to the drought is one of the limiting factors of plant production. Using mycorrhizal fungi is an important approach to deal with damaging effects during stress conditions. The symbiosis of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) with the host plant and hence, the production of a very extensive network of hypha, enhances nutrient acquisition and improves water uptake in the host plant. The specialized network of hypha raises the uptake and translocation of nutrients to the plant, whereas it inhibits high uptake of Na and Cl and their transport to plant shoots compared with plant roots. Hence, AM can alleviate the stress of salinity on plant growth and increases their tolerance to the stresses.
Materials and Methods
In order to evaluate the influence of mycorrhizal fungi on yield and yield components of wheat, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in research farm of Shahid Chamran Ahvaz University. Experimental design was a randomized complete block design arranged in split factorial with three replications. The factors were water salinity (water quality) including filtered water (EC ≥ 1 dS m-1), tap water (EC = 1/7-3 ds m-1), tap water plus NaCl and filtered water plus NaCl (EC = 8 ds m-1). Soil sterilization included sterilized and non-sterilized soil and mycorrhizal inoculation were in five levels (non-inoculated, inoculated with ‌Glomusmosseae, G. intraradices, G. geosporum and mixture of them). Yield and yield components were measured at crop maturity and colonization percentage of root was determined at flowering stage. Root colonization by AM was determined through preparing root samples at 1 g in each experimental unit, and roots were stained using the Gridline- Intersect Method. The harvest index and mycorrhizal dependency were also measured. Salinity levels determined approximate the threshold of wheat –tolerate- salinity before the results would rather reflect saline stress on mycorrhizal symbiosis than on wheat plants.
Results and Discussion
The results showed that salinity decreased colonization percentage and grain number per spike but it did not affect yield and yield components significantly. In non- inoculated soil, the formed mycorrhizal symbiosis by indigenous fungi improved colonization percentage, while it did not result in significant differences of the yield and its components. The inoculation with mycorrhiza fungi was successful. Mycorrhizal colonization rates of 15-32% and mycorrhizal dependency rates of 7-13% were observed in the inoculated treatments, and this effect led to significantly higher grain yield, spike number and grain number per plant in compare with control. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction on colonization percentage and whole yield components between AMF inoculation and salinity except for spike number. Spike per plant, grain number per spike and colonization percentage affected by mycorrhizal inoculation in interaction with soil sterilization. Colonization percentage was positively correlated with spike number, grain number per plant and grain yield (significant at α=1%).
Conclusions
Enhanced yield under all mycorrhizal treatments related to higher grain number per plant, whereas there was no significant difference between these treatments for grain weight. Although the colonization levels of individual mycorrhizal treatments were generally lower, the fostering of grain yield was even strongly more pronounced than with mixed mycorrhizal treat (significant at α=1%). Effects of salinity and soil sterilization varied depending on the species of fungi and water quality. In comparison with other mycorrhizal treatment, G. geosporum showed higher salt tolerant relatively on display of superior colonization percentage and grain number per plant in salinity with tap water; and the colonization percentage by G. mosseae was not affected by soil indigenous fungi. The results showed that salinity decreased colonization percentage of inoculated mycorrhiza besides indigenous fungi, whereas mycorrhizal dependency was not influenced by salinity levels. Mycorrhizal dependency would probably provide a more consistent basis for the relative benefit provided by mycorrhiza at the saline condition than the colonization percentage. Reductions of the mycorrhizal dependency to wheat plants caused by increasing soil water or nutrient availability however enhancement of plant growth have been indicated especially when mycorrhizal wheat plants exposed to saline stress.

Keywords

• Indigenous Fungi
• Mycorrhizal dependency
• Root Colonization Percentage
• salinity

20.1001.1.20081472.1394.13.3.4.8

---

References

1. Abdel-Fattah, G. M., and Asrar, A. 2012. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal application to improve growth and tolerance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants grown in saline soil. Acta Physiology Plant 34: 267-277.

2. Al-Karaki, G., McMichael, B., and Zak, J. 2004. Field response of wheat to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and drought stress. Mycorrhizae 14: 263-269.

3. Al-Karaki, G. N. 2000. Growth of mycorrhizal tomato and mineral acquisition under salt stress. Mycorrhiza 10: 51-54.

4. Alqarawi, A. A., Abd Allah, E. F., and Abeer H. 2014. Alleviation of salt-induced adverse impact via mycorrhizal fungi in Ephedra aphylla Forssk. Journal of Plant Interactions 9 (1): 802-810.

5. Azcon, R., and Ocampo, J. A. 1981. Factors affecting the vesicular- arbuscular infection and mycorrhizal dependency of Thirteen wheat cultivars. New Phytologist 87: 677-685.

6. Campanelli, A., Ruta, C., Mastro, G. D., and Morone-Fortunato, I. 2012. The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in alleviating salt stress in Medicago sativa L. var. icon. Symbiosis 1-12.

7. Daei, G., Ardekani, M. R., Rejali, F., Teimuri, S., and Miransari, M. 2009. Alleviation of salinity stress on wheat yield, yield components and nutrient uptake using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under field conditions. Journal of Plant Physiology 166: 617-625.

8. El – Amri, S. M., Mohamed, H., Al -Whaibi, Abdel-Fattah, G. M., and Siddiqui, M. H. 2013. Role of mycorrhizal fungi in tolerance of wheat genotypes to salt stress. African Journal of Microbiology Research 7 (14): 1286-1295.

9. Evelin, H., Giri, B., and Kapoor, R. 2012. Contribution of Glomus intraradices inoculation to nutrient acquisition and mitigation of ionic imbalance in NaCl - stressed Trigonellafoenum - graecum. Mycorrhiza 22: 203-217.

10. Evelin, H., Kapoor, R., and Giri, B. 2009. Arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi in alleviation of salt stress: a review. Annals of Botany 104: 1263-1280.

11. Füzy, A., Biro, B., Toth, T., Hildebrandt, U., and Bothe, H. 2008. Drought, but not salinity, determines the apparent effectiveness of halophytes colonized by arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi. Journal of Plant Physiology 165: 1181-1192.

12. Garg, N., and Manchanda, G. 2009. Role of arbuscularmycorrhizae in the alleviation of ionic, osmotic and oxidative stresses induced by salinity in Cajanuscajan (L.) Mill sp. (pigeonpea). Journal Agronomy and Crop Science 195: 110-123.

13. Gerdemann, J. W. 1975. Vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhizae. In: Torrey JG, Clarkson DT (eds) The development and function of roots. Academic, London, pp 575-591.

14. Giovannetti, M., and Mosse, B. 1980. An evaluation of techniques for measuring vesicular arbuscular mycorrizal infection in roots. New Phytologist 84: 489-500.

15. Hajiboland, R., Aliasgharzadeh, N., FarsadLaiegh, Sh., and Poschenrieder, Ch. 2010. Colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improves salinity tolerance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants. Plant Soil 331: 313-327.

16. Hetrick B. A. D., Wilson G. W. T., and Cox T. S. 1993. Mycorrhizal dependence of modern wheat cultivars and ancestors: a synthesis. Candian Journal of Botany 71: 512-517.

17. Husain, Sh., Munns, R., and Condon, A. G. 2003. Effect of sodium exclusion trait on chlorophyll retention and growth of durum wheat in saline soil. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54: 589-597.

18. Ibrahim, A. H., Abdel-Fattah, G. M., Eman, F. M., AbdEl_Aziz, M. H., and Shohr, A. E. 2011. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and spermine alleviate the adverse effects of salinity stress on electrolyte leakage and productivity of wheat plants. Phyton (in Press).

19. Juniper, S., and Abbott, L. 1993. Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizas and soil salinity. Mycorrhiza 4: 45-57.

20. Maas, E. V. 2012. USDA-ARS. US Salinity Laboratory, Fiber, Grain and Special Crops (http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=8908(.

21. Mardukhi, B., Rejali, F., Malakuti, M. J., and Mardukhi, V. 2008. Effect of Symbiosis Mycorrhizal Fungus on Yield and Yield Component of two varieties resistant and Partially resistant of wheat in different levels of salinity. Journal of Soil and Water 22 (1): 83-95.

22. Marulanda, A., Barea, J. M., and Azcon, R. 2006. An indigenous drought-tolerant strain of Glomus intraradices associated with a native bacterium improves water transport and root development in Retama sphaerocarpa. Microbial Ecology 52: 670-678.

23. Mcmillen Ben, G., Juniper, S., and Abbott, L. K. 1998. Inhibition of hyphal growth of a vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus in soil contaning sodium chloridlimits the spread of infection from spores. Soil Biology Biochemistry 3013: 1639-1646.

24. Miransari, M., and Smith, D. L. 2007. Overcoming the stressful effects of salinity and acidity on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nodulation and yields using signal molecule genistein under field conditions. Journal Plant Nutrition 30: 1967-1992.

25. Munns, R. James, R. A. and Laüchli, A. 2006.Approaches to increasing the salt tolerance of wheat and other cereals. Journal of Experimental Botany 57: 1025-1043.

26. Nadian, H. 2011. Effect of drought stress and mycorrhizal symbiosis on the growth and absorption of phosphorus by two different sorghum cultivars in root morphology. Journal of Science and Technology of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Soil and Water Science 15: 127-140.

27. Ortas, I. 2012. The effect of mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on plant yield, nutrient uptake and inoculation effectiveness under long-term field conditions. Field Crops Research 125: 35-48.

28. Ortas, I., Akpinara, N. S., and HalitYetisir, C. 2011. Screening mycorrhiza species for plant growth, P and Zn uptake in pepper seedling grown under greenhouse conditions. Scientia Horticulturae 128: 92-98.

29. Philips, J. M., and Hayman, D. S. 1970. Improved procedures for clearing roots and staining parasitic and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi for rapid assessment of infection. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 55: 158-161.

30. Rabie, A. M., and Almadini, G. H. 2005. Role of bioinoculants in development of salt-tolerance of Viciafaba plants under salinity stress. African Journal of Biotechnology 4 (3): 210-222.

31. Rejali, F., Malakuti, M. J., and Mardukhi, B. 2010. Effect of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis on Water use efficiency, proline accumulation and Nutrient Uptake of wheat under the salinity conditions. Journal of Water Research in Agriculture 24 (2): 112-122.

32. Rubio, R., Borie, F., Schalchli, C., Castillo, C., and Azco´n, R. 2003. Occurrence and effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal propagules in wheat as affected by the source and amount of phosphorus fertilizer and fungal inoculation. Applicatin Soil Ecology 23: 245-255.

33. Ruiz-Lozano, J. M., and Azcon, R. 2000. Symbiotic efficiency and infectivity of an autochthonous arbuscular mycorrhizal Glomus sp. from saline soils and Glomus deserticola under salinity. Mycorrhiza 10: 137-143.

34. Sharma, A. K. 2002. Biofertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture.Agrobios, India, 300 p.

35. Tian, C.Y., Feng, G., and Li, X. L. 2004. Different effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal isolates from saline or non-saline soil on salinity tolerance of plants. Applied Soil Ecology 26: 143-148.