Effects of root endophytic fungus, Microdochium bolleyi on cadmium uptake, translocation and tolerance by Hordeum vulgare L.

Endophytic fungi can have a positive impact on phytoremediation of heavy metals, but the effects of endophytic fungus Microdochium bolleyi on extraction of Cd by barley, have not been previously examined. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to assess the effects of M. bolleyi (strain B26) on cadmium (Cd) tolerance, accumulation and translocation by barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (Sararood cultivar) under Cd stress. Barley plants were inoculated with B26 in Cd-added sands (0, 10, 30, 60 mg Cd kg(-1) sand), and the various attributes of growth along with the amount of Cd in barley were investigated after two months. The results indicated that fungal inoculation significantly improved (p < 0.05) plant growth in the presence of Cd by enhancing factors of plant growth; shoot length increased by 8.93%, 11.61% and 5.59%, root length by 26.47%, 12.39% and 13.95%, dry root biomass by 6.35%, 8.57% and 28.57%, dry shoot biomass by 11.39%, 8.25% and 4.81% in soil containing 10, 30 and 60 mg Cd kg(-1), respectively. The increases in chlorophyll content were 16.74% and 9.97% under 10 and 30 mg Cd kg(-1) treatments, in turn. In terms of Cd accumulation, fungal inoculation increased the amount of Cd in the barley roots, by 44%, 27.95% and 25.18% in soil containing 10, 30 and 60 mg Cd kg(-1), respectively, but it remained the same in plant leaves whether the plants were inoculated or not. The results suggested B26 can be exploited to improve the potential of barley for the remediation of Cd contaminated sites.