title: Alleviation of drought stress of marigold (Tagetes erecta) plants by using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.
abstract: The effect of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus "AMF" (Glomus constrictum Trappe) on growth, pigments, and phosphorous content of marigold (Tagetes erecta) plant grown under different levels of drought stress was investigated. The applied drought stress levels reduced growth vigor (i.e. plant height, shoot dry weight, flower diameter as well as its fresh and dry weights) of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plant as compared to control plant (non-drought stressed plant). The presence of mycorrhizal fungus, however, stimulated all growth parameters of the treated plant comparing to non-mycorrhizal treated plant. The photosynthetic pigments (carotene in flowers and chlorophylls a and b in leaves) were also stimulated by the mycorrhizal fungi of well-watered as well as of water-stressed plants. The total pigments of mycorrhizal plants grown under well-watered conditions were higher than those of non-mycorrhizal ones by 60%. In most cases, drought-stressed mycorrhizal plants were significantly better than those of the non-mycorrhizal plants. So, the overall results suggest that mycorrhizal fungal colonization affects host plant positively on growth, pigments, and phosphorous content, flower quality and thereby alleviates the stress imposed by water with holding.
authors: Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Abdul-Wasea A
authors: AW
authors: Asrar
authors: Khalid M
authors: KM
authors: Elhindi
keywords: Arbuscular mycorrhiza; Drought stress; Fungus; Glomus constrictum; Growth and flowering; Marigold; Tagetes erecta
references: Mycorrhiza. 2004 Aug;14(4):263-9
references: 12942358
references: Mycorrhiza. 2008 Mar;18(3):115-21
references: 18228050
references: Mycorrhiza. 2003 Dec;13(6):309-17
references: 12690537
references: Plant Physiol. 1986 Nov;82(3):765-70
references: 16665108
references: Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2007 Feb 15;54(2):143-9
references: 17196377
references: J Plant Physiol. 2006 Mar;163(4):417-25
references: 16455355
references: J Plant Physiol. 2007 Oct;164(10):1289-99
references: 17189660