The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus etunicatum on growth and some physiological parameters of squash plants under herbicide metribuzin toxicity

Different herbicides especially Metribuzin are used to control of weeds in vegetable farms throughout the world. Such chemicals may have some adverse effects on the crop. In order to evaluation of alleviating effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization on toxicity due to herbicide Metribuzin، a study was performed using squash plants and Glomus etunicatum fungus. The experiment included two factors: mycorrhizal (M) and non-mycorrhizal (NM) squash plants and four levels of the herbicide concentrations (0، 0. 002، 0. 005 and 0. 02 gL-1) in 3 replicates. In this study، dry weight، photosynthetic pigments content (including chlorophylls a and b)، total protein and sugars content of shoots and roots of M and NM plants were reduced with increase in metribuzin concentration. This reduction was less obvious in M plants in comparison with NM ones. Also، proline content wasraised in M and NM plants but this increase in mycorrhizal plants was higher than non-mycorrhizal ones. Overall، the obtained results may indicate improvement of physiological status of squash plants due to arbuscular mycorrizal colonization by G. etunicatum against Metribuzin toxicity.