Effects of mycorhizal inoculation on the response of sorghum genotypes to salinity

A pot experiment was conducted in order to study the effects of mycorhizal inoculation on the response of sorghum genotypes to salinity. The experiment was arranged as factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications. In this study ten sorghum genotypes were tested under two levels of salinity (0 and 100 mM Nacl), and two inoculation (mycorhizae and control) treatments. The interactions between salinity, mycorhizae inoculation and genotype were significant on evaluated traits. There was a decrease in the concentration of phosphurous and potassium and leaf relative water content in most of genotypes and in the percentage of mycorhizae infection, cholorophyll, and shoot dry matter in all genotypes under saline condition. Among tested genotypes, IUA28 was the most tolerant genotype to salinity in both inoculated and none inoculated treatments. The inoculation of plants with mycorhizae increased the concentration of phosphurous, potassium and cholorophyll and decreased the concentration of sodium in treated plants. Under saline condition, except for MGS5, the biomass yield was increased with mycorhizal inoculation and the extent of increase was geatest in MGS2 as compared to other tested genotypes. The ratio of K/Na had a significant role in increasing growth of inoculated plants under saline treatment. Under non saline condition, however, except for KGS33, plant growth was not imporoved by mycorhizal inoculation. The results of this experiment showed that inoculation with mycorhizae can alleviate the negative effects of salinity on sorghum genotypes and there is considerable varition among genotypes in this regards.