Effects of Phosphate-Solubilizing Microorganisms and Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Growth Parameters of Corn (Zea mays L.) under Salinity Condition

Using of microorganisms in stress affected soils can alleviate the condition in plants. In order to assess the effects of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms (PSB: Pseudomonas fluorescens, PSF: Aspergillus niger) and mycorrhizal fungies (M: Funneliformis mosseae (G. mosseae),Rhizophagus irregularis (G. intraradices), Rhizophagus fasciculatus (G. fasciculatum)) and their interactions on improving nutrient uptake under salinity stress condition, an experiment carried out in a randomized complete block design under greenhouse conditions. Some plant growth indicators and nutrient concentrations in plant shoot were measured at the end of growing period (70 days). The results showed the significant influence of salinity levels on phosphorous uptake, potassium, sodium, and chlorine concentrations, and shoot length. Proline accumulation in leaves (0.96 µmol g-1) was resulted with increasing of salinity levels. Among all microbial treatments, the maximum values of the parameters were resulted with mycorrhiza treatment, including shoot length (78.89 cm), shoot dry weight (15.77 g pot-1) and root dry weight (8.47 g pot-1). Unlike shoot sodium and chlorine concentrations, leaves nitrogen and potassium contents increased in microbial inoculation condition. Leaf proline was increased by 14.46% and 15.85% with fungi and mycorrhizal treatments compared to control, respectively. It is inferred that inoculation of AMF drastically decreased salinity effects in compared to other phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms in corn.