Record ID No. |
1659 |
Author(s) |
Zuccarini, P., Okurowska, P , 2008 |
Affiliation |
Univ Pisa, Dipartimento Biol Piante Agrarie, Viale Piagge 23, I-56124 Pisa, Italy |
Title |
Effects of mycorrhizal colonization and fertilization on growth and photosynthesis of sweet basil under salt stress |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
Journal of Plant Nutrition:31(3):497-513p |
Categories |
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Biochemistry |
Sub-subjects |
Miscellaneous |
Organism |
n.a. |
Country |
Italy, Europe |
Abstracts |
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of inoculation
with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) and of different levels of fertilization on growth,
photosynthetic efficiency, and ion uptake by sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) in conditions of
saline stress. Eight different treatments were compared, deriving from the factorial combination
of two levels of fertilization, two levels of salinity of the irrigation water and the presence
or absence of mycorrhizal colonization, performed with a crude inoculum of Glomus intraradices
Schenck and Smith. Salinity significantly reduced growth and fluorescence level of plants, and
higher sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) contents in both roots and shoots were associated with these
phenomena, while potassium (K) was slightly reduced. Both mycorrhizal inoculation and high
fertilization acted in the direction of reducing the symptoms of salinity stress by increasing
growth and fluorescence. Mycorrhizal colonization showed generally more pronounced effects than a
high application rate of fertilizer. The simultaneous application of colonization and high
fertilization provided higher tolerance to salinity than one single factor, but the combined
effect was less than proportional to the sum of the separate effects. In particular, the
differences in growth and photochemical efficiency between inoculated and uninoculated plants
under salt stress were significantly reduced by the contemporary presence of additional
fertilization. The rate of root colonization by the mycorrhizal fungus was significantly reduced
by both saline irrigation and high fertilization. |