Effects of two arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi on some soil hydraulic properties and nutrient uptake by spring barley in an alkaline soil under greenhouse conditions

In order to investigate the effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis on some soil hydraulic properties and nutrients uptake by spring barley، a greenhouse experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized blocks design with four replications، using two mycorrhizl fungi including Glomus intraradices (GI) and Glomus etunicatum (GE) and non-mycorrhizal (control) treatments، in an alkaline coarse-textured soil. Results showed that GE and GI significantly increased (P< 0. 01) field capacity (FC) water content by 24. 7 and 12. 6%، permanent wilting point (PWP) water content by 20. 1 and 11. 1%، available water capacity (AWC) by 27. 1 and 13. 3%، micropores by 14. 1 and 5%، mesopores by 27. 8 and 20. 8% and decreased macropores by 17. 3 and 9. 5% and saturated hydraulic conductivity by 88. 2 and 68. 8% relative to the control، respectively. Also، GE and GI fungi significantly increased (P< 0. 01) uptake of phosphorus in barely seeds by 44. 1 and 20. 3% and in stem by 181 and 50. 6% and potassium in seeds by 290. 8 and 167. 9%، respectively. It is concluded that mycorrhizal symbiosis، as a biological and sustainable method، improved hydraulic and chemical quality of the alkaline coarse-textured soil.