Effects of Native and Non-Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Growth of Dodonaea Viscosa Under Drought Stress Conditions

Drought substantially affects plant growth, and the impact of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant drought resistance is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to determine the differences between native and non-native AMF on Dodonaea viscosa growth. We tested the effects of native and non-native AMF on leaf traits, biomass accumulation, nutrient absorption, and photosynthetic characteristics of D. viscosa in dry red soil and yellow brown soil under different water conditions. AMF had a significantly positive effect on D. viscosa growth, and AMF inoculation significantly promoted increases in height, leaf area, biomass accumulation, stem lignin content and net photosynthetic rate, and decreased stem-saturated water content. Leaf phosphorus amount in D. viscosa inoculated with AMF did not significantly increase compared with those of non-AMF treatments; however, D. viscosa inoculated with AMF had lower specific leaf area and higher leaf dry mass content. Drought increased mycorrhizal dependence on AMF, especially the native AMF (71.75