Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Nutrients Uptake, Some Growth Indices and Essence Oil Content of Satureja hortensis under Salinity Stress Conditions

Arbuscular mycorrhiza has positive impacts on the growth and yield of medicinal herbs under environmental stresses. In this study the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth, nutrients uptake and essence oil content in savory plant (Satureja hortensis L.) under salt stress were evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. A completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with two factors of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at three levels: non-mycorrhizal (NM) as control, Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum, and four levels of salinity (0.36, 2, 5 and 8 dSm-1 as NaCl) were performed in three replications. Salt stress decreased the shoot dry weight and plant height, root colonization, and the shoot nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium uptake and it increased the root dry weight, shoot sodium uptake and essence oil content of the savory plant. Mycorrhizal plants had higher shoot and root dry weights, plant height and shoot nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium uptake and the essence oil content in comparison with NM ones under salinity stress conditions. The highest content of essential oil was obtained in the plants inoculated with Rhizophagus intraradices at salinity level of 8 dS m-1.