Single and Dual Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi Inoculu m Effects on Growth, Nutrient Absorption and Antioxid ant Enzyme Activity in Ziziphus spina-christi Seedlings under Salinity Stress

Abstract

Ziziphus spina-christi are distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of w orld. Most of these areas are subjected to soil salinity. So, the aim of this study was to find out the effects of different NaCl concentrations on Z. spina-christi seedlings growth, in the presence of a number of single and dual AMF inoculu ms, to provide some information about possible effects of AMF under salinity condit ion. For this purpose, the study was conducted in nursery using 4×3 factorial scheme (4 salinity levels; 0, 50, 100 and 150 mM and 3 mycorrhiza treatments; non-mycorrhizal plant, G. fasciculatum and Funneliformis mosseae + G . fasciculatum inoculated plants). Our results revealed that salin ity has negative effects on root length colonization, growt h parameters, chlorophyll content, nutrients absorption and results in Na, proline, su peroxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase activity increment but mycorrhizal plants maintained higher growth characteristics, chlorophyll content, nutrients, ro ot colonization and enzymes activity, proline and Na ion reduction and these effects in d ual inoculum were significantly different from single inoculum fungi. According to the results dual-inoculated plants are more tolerative to salinity compared to single-inoc ulated and not-inoculated seedlings. Indicating that Z. spina-christi plantation in saline soil would give us the best re sult if we use dual inoculated plants. It could be said that i n saline soils Z. spina-christi dual- inoculated with mycorrhiza is tolerative and more e fficient. Keywords: Enzyme, Mycorrhiza, Proline, Salinity, Ziziphus spina-christi .