Effects of mycorrhizal fungi application on some growth parameters of Monterey strawberry cultivars under different salt stress conditions

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most important environmental problems for agricultural production. In recent years, some studies revealed that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi positively influenced plant growth and development and increased the uptake of nutrients under saline conditions. This study was carried out to investigate the response of the Monterey strawberry cultivar to mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus spp.) root inoculations during salinity stress under greenhouse conditions. In the present study, four different salt concentrations (0, 20, 40, and 80 mM NaCl) were applied to growing media with and without mycorrhiza conditions. The parameters such as leaf number, leaf area, petiole length, root length, dry matter contents in leaves, crowns, and roots, fruit weight, fruit yield, and Na, P, and K accumulation in leaves, crowns, and roots were determined. It was determined that increasing the amount of salt negatively affected all parameters in the control treatment. Leaf area significantly decreased with increasing concentration of NaCl treatment with and without mycorrhiza conditions. High salinity caused an increase in the Na content, but K and P contents decreased with salinity. Finally, it is suggested that the application of mycorrhizae generally positively affected examined parameters in strawberries under salinity conditions.