Artificial Inoculation of AM Fungi Improves Nutrient Uptake Efficiency in Salt Stressed Pea (Pissum Sativum L) Plants

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of commercially available AMF inoculate (Glomussp. mixture) on the growth and the nutrient acquisition of field pea (Pissum sativumL) plants. Inoculated (AMF+) and non-inoculated (AMF-) pea plants were subjected to two levels of salinity by the addition of sodium chlorate into the tap water (0 and 50mM NaCl). Several times during the growing cycle, in randomly selected plants the morphology of root system was analyzed and the dry matter of roots and the aboveground biomass were individually measured. Furthermore, plant tissue samples were analyzed regarding N, P and K concentration and the total uptake and specific absorption rate of these elements (SAR_N, SAR_P, SAR_K) per unit of root length, root surface area and root volume were calculated. Saline irrigation water strongly diminished the growth of pea plants and strongly reduced the absorption capacity of their root system. The inoculation of AM fungi in the growing substrate contributed to the increase of plant biomass and alleviation of the salinity stress by improving the specific absorption rate of main nutrient elements by the root system.  Therefore, the artificial inoculation of AM fungi could be considered as an effective alternative to improve growth of pea plants under saline irrigation water conditions.