The effect of mychorhizal symbiosis on increasing of drought resistance in Almond rootstocks in water deficit stress condition

In order to evaluate mycorrhizal fungi on physiological characteristics and drought resistance in current almond (Prunus amygdalus) rootstock, a factorial experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design in three replications in agricultural and natural research center of Shahrekoard. The treatments consist of two level of mycorrhizal fungi (M0: without and M1 with using of mycorrhizal fungi), four kinds of rootstock (bitter, local Shorab 2, GF and GN) and four levels of water deficit stress (I1: without stress as a control, I2: 20, I3: 40 and I4: 60 percent of depletion of plant available water). The results revealed that the maximum amounts of the studied characteristics except leaf proline were obtained from GF rootstock. The studied characteristics were increased from I1 to I4 treatment. Using of mycorrhizae fungi in deficit treatments caused to significantly increase in root and leaf proline, root soluble sugars and the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes. The maximum amount of root soluble sugars and leaf proline were obtained from GF+M1 and GN+M0 treatments respectively. The highest and lowest levels of catalase and peroxidase enzymes activity were obtained from I4+M1 and GF+I4 treatments. The maximum and minimum amounts of leaf soluble sugars were obtained from GN+I4+M0 and GN+I1+M1 treatments respectively. Inoculums with mycorrhizal fungi caused to increase rootstocks resistance to water deficit stress. Based on these experiment results the highest resistance to water deficit stress was obtained from GF rootstock.