Impact of Water Shortage on Soil and Plant Attributes in the Presence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi from a Harsh Environment

ABSTRACT: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in plant health due to their ability to improve tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pool of native AMF from a harsh environment on plant performance and changes in soil attributes under different levels of drought. An experiment using maize was established, varying the soil water content to simulate severe drought (30% of the water-holding capacity [WHC]), moderate (50% of the WHC) and no drought (80% of the WHC, control treatment). Soil and plant attributes were measured (enzyme activity, microbial biomass, AMF root colonisation and plant biomass and nutrient uptake). There was a two-fold increase in plant biomass under moderate drought when compared to no drought treatment, but the

SUBMITTER: Silva A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10223447 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature