Antioxidant changes in mycorrhizal inoculated vegetable crops under salt stress

The current investigation was carried out to examine the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) [Gigaspora margarita (GM) and Glomus fasciculatum (GF)] in alleviating adverse effects of salt stress in asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. 'Welcome') and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. 'Momotaro8') plants. Fifteen weeks after AMF inoculation, the mycorrhizal asparagus and tomato plants significantly enhanced dry weight of shoots and roots and accumulate less Na+ ion under salt stress (200 mM NaCl) than non-inoculated plants. Moreover, reduction of malondialdehyde (MDA) content in mycorrhizal plants under salt stress suggested the growth improvement of mycorrhizal plants. As well as, to alleviate oxidative damage, mycorrhizal plants showed higher values of antioxidants on shoots and roots in the following items; superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, and ascorbic acid contents, effects differed from plant parts and species. From these findings, plants growth improvement and salt tolerance enhanced in mycorrhizal vegetable crops through better antioxidant activities. In addition, the non-enzymatic antioxidants related to salt tolerance, though their activities differed with the plant parts and species.