Colonization of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve salinity tolerance of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.) seedlings

Abstract Background: Soil salinity is an important problem for agriculture and effecting in the inability to use soil for cultivation. High salt levels reduce plant performance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been reported to enhance the tolerance of plants under salinity stress. For promote cultivation of economic plant in salt stress area that univariable to use to produce raw material for pulp industry. We determined the effects of AMF on the growth and nutrient status of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.) seedlings under salinity stress condition.Results: Three different clones of Eucalyptus seedlings were pre-inoculated with three salt-tolerant AMF species, namely Glomus sp.2, Gigaspora albida and Gigaspora decipiens or without pre-inoculated. The seedlings were grown in a greenhouse for 45 days. They were then transplanted into individual pots, filled with field soil and subsequently treated with NaCl solution until the electro-conductivity (EC) reached 10, 15 and 20 dS m-1. They were watered for 90 days under nursery conditions. Increasing salinity levels reduced plant performance, fractional root colonization and the number of spores. Increasing salinity also resulted in a lower K/Na ratio. At the same time, performance of the pre-inoculated plants was significantly higher than that of plant that relied on field inoculum only. AMF also significantly increased chlorophyll and leaf proline concentrations and improved the K/Na balance.Conclusion: The results indicate that pre-inoculation with AMF before out planting improves plant performance under salinity stress due to AMF can improve the negative impacts of salinity on the studied physiological, nutrients uptake and biochemical parameters.