loading . . . Mycorrhizal benefits to photosynthetic attributes, antioxidative capabilities, grain yield, and quality of ancient and modern wheats exposed to irrigation water salinity Background and aims
Mycorrhizal (AMF) benefits to ancient tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, particularly under saline conditions, are not sufficiently known.
Methods
A two-year field experiment and a pot experiment were carried out, where the field experiment encompassed non-saline and saline (120 mM NaCl) irrigation, presence and absence of AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) inoculation, and 10 wheat genotypes. The pot experiment encompassed four salinities (0, 40, 80, and 120 mM) and two levels of AMF inoculation (with and without of AMF inoculation) and 11 genotypes.
Results
Salinity suppressed the chlorophyll, carotenoids, K, and P, grains/m2, grain yield, harvest index, and dry mass. Though, it boosted the activities of antioxidative enzymes, Na, electrolyte leakage, Na/K, protein, wet gluten, and gluten index. Inoculation to AMF led to enhancement in the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II, chlorophyll, K, P, N, and total phenolic compounds concentrations, the activities of antioxidative enzymes, grains/m2, grain yield, dry mass, protein, wet gluten, and gluten index, while decreasing the Na concentration, Na/K, and electrolyte leakage, particularly in the salt-stricken plants; favorable responses to the AMF were more appreciable in the salt-stricken modern wheats, than the ancient emmer and spelt wheats.
Conclusion
Salinity and AMF exerted contrasting effects on physiological, growth, dry mass, and grain yield attributes of different genotypes, with a tendency of salt-induced suppressions and AMF-induced enhancements to be less notable in the ancient wheats, than the modern bread and durum wheats. Though, salinity and AMF inoculation shared a same trend in improving the grain and flour quality attributes. https://sco.lt/5Gd2vI
