Inoculation with selected indigenous mycorrhizal complex improves Ceratonia siliqua's growth and response to drought stress

Issam Jadrane; Mohamed Najib Al Feddy; Hanane Dounas; Lamfeddal Kouisni; Faissal Aziz; Lahcen Ouahmane

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.11.018

Inoculation with selected indigenous mycorrhizal complex improves Ceratonia siliqua's growth and response to drought stress

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 Jan;28(1):825-832. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.11.018. Epub 2020 Nov 11.

Authors

Issam Jadrane¹, Mohamed Najib Al Feddy², Hanane Dounas¹, Lamfeddal Kouisni³, Faissal Aziz⁴, Lahcen Ouahmane¹

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnologies, Agrosciences and Environment, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.
² Phytobacteriology Laboratory, Plant Protection Research Unit, CRRA Marrakesh, National Institute for Agronomical Research, Marrakesh, Morocco.
³ University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Agrobiosciences Program, Benguerir, Morocco.
⁴ Laboratory of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh, Morocco.

Abstract

In the current study, we investigated the impact of inoculation with a selected indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) complex on the growth and physiology of carob plants at increasing levels of watering (25, 50, 75 and 100% field capacity). The following growth and stress parameters were monitored in carob seedlings after 6 months of growth and 2 months of applied drought stress: fresh and dry weight, root and shoot lengths, leaf surface area, relative water content, stomatal conductance and membrane stability. Chlorophyll a and b, total soluble sugars, proline and protein contents were also determined along with the activities of stress enzymes: Catalase, Peroxidase and Superoxide dismutase. The obtained results indicate that inoculation with the indigenous AMF complex has a positive impact on the plant's growth as all the assessed parameters were significantly improved in the mycorrhizal plants. Additionally, our results show that mycorrhization contributes to the minimization of the impact of drought stress on the carob plants and allows a better adaptation to dry conditions.

Keywords: AMF, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi; CAT, Catalase; Ceratonia siliqua; Climate change; DW, Dry weight; Drought stress; EDTA, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; FC, Field capacity; FW, Fresh weight; G-POD, Guaiacol-peroxidase; MPa, Millipascal; MSI, Membrane Stability Index; Mediterranean zone; Mycorrhizae; NBT, Nitro blue tetrazolium; NM, Non mycorrhizal; OD, Optical density; Oxidative stress; PCR, Polymerase chain reaction; PVPP, Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone; RWC, Relative water content; SC, Stomatal conductance; SOD, Superoxide dismutase; TSS, Total Soluble sugars; TW, Turgid weight.