Mediation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth and biochemical parameters of Ligustrum vicaryi in response to salinity

Salt stress has become a major threat to plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are considered as bioameliorators and can modulate plant growth in various ways. However, few studies have addressed whether AMF could mediate the detrimental effects of salinity on Ligustrum vicaryi plants. In this study, inoculated (colonization with two AMF, Rhizophagus intraradices (Ri) and Funneliformis mosseae (Fm), alone and in combination) and non-inoculated (NM) L. vicaryi plants were subjected to three levels of NaCl salinity (0, 50 and 200 mM NaCl) to examine the interactive effects on the growth, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and biochemical parameters of plants in a greenhouse experiment. The results showed that salinity stress had significanlty decreased the total dry weight of L. vicaryi plants. However, with Ri inoculation, the total dry weight, F-v/F-m, Yield, qP, the nutrient contents of P, K+, Mg2+, Zn2+, the K+:Na+ ratio and soluble protein content were considerably increased, while tissue Na+ content and shoot:root Na+ ratio were decreaed under saline conditions. It is suggested that mycorrhizal fungi can alleviate the detrimental effects of salt stress on L. vicaryi plants. Furthermore, the results also provide evidence that the mediation of N, Ca2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and soluble protein content would be probably the main mechanism underlying salt tolerance in mycorrhizal plants.