Effect of inoculation with mycorrhizal fungus Glomus versiforme on growth and some physiological factors of tomato under salinity stress

Mycorrhizal fungi cause plants to withstand environmental stresses. This research was carried out in order to investigate the effects of mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus versiforme) on tomato plants to ameliorate the salinity stress. This completely randomized experiment includes salinity (0, 4 and 8 dS m-1) and mycorrhizal (0 and 5% w/w) treatments in the research greenhouse of Urmia University in 2017. Morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics such as plant height, root volume, proline and malone dialdehyde content, catalase activity, electrolytes leakage and content of soluble sugars were evaluated. Plant height and root volume in symbiont plants were more than the control, significantly. Increased catalase activity and content of proline and soluble sugars in inoculated plants indicates reduction in stress damage due to salinity. Also, electrolytes leakage and malone dialdehyde content in symbiont plants under salinity stress was less than the control. These positive effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis could be due to physiological impacts such as cell turgor control and osmolytes production and also due to morphological characteristics including root development and following ameliorating effects against salinity stress.