Physiological response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under salinity conditions

Abstract

Objective: The effect of salinity by NaCl based on physiological variables of chickpea plants was evaluated with the use of native strains of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Glomus cubensis and Rizoglomus irregulare during the pre-flowering phenophase.

Design/methodology/approach: The research was carried out under controlled environmental conditions, using as an experimental model the chickpea variety N-29, obtained at INIFAT, Cuba. The treatments consist of the combination of three salinity levels: 25, 50 and 75 mM of NaCl and the respective control (Source of variation A) and two strains of AMFs (source of variation B) for a total of 12 treatments with six repetitions. Treatments were distributed under a completely randomized experimental design. The variables evaluated were: number of green and dry leaves, biomass by organs (leaves, stem, root), net assimilation rate (TAN), relative growth rate (TCR) and leaf area ratio (RAF).

Results: Green leaves, TAN and leaf and root biomass were the variables with the highest response in the 50 mM NaCl + R. irregulare treatment, with an average increase of 15% compared to the rest of the treatments.

Limitations on study/implications: There is a decrease in the variables evaluated due to the salinity effect, however, chickpea plants subjected to 50 mM NaCl inoculated with R. irregulare were less affected by saline stress.

Findings/conclusions: It was also found that the R. irregulare strain contributed more than G. cubense to mitigating the adverse effects of the salinity factor.