Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and/or organic amendment enhance the tolerance of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) under drought stress

Drought stress is one of the most serious constraints that prevents plants from attaining their full potential, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Among notable drought-tolerant plants, prickly pear stands as a plant capable of tolerating daring water stress conditions, thanks to its water storage and CO2 uptake capabilities. However, its full potential remains constrained under drought stress. The use of biostimulants such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and vermicompost (Vc) can help the plant to mitigate drought. The present study provides insights into the effects of an AMF, a vermicompost at a dose of 5%, and their combination on growth, and biochemical responses of prickly pear cladodes under severe water stress (SWD), moderately watered (MD), and well-watered (WW) treatments (15, 30 and 50% of field capacity (FC), respectively). AMF + Vc treatment showed the highest values of AMF colonization and growth parameters under drought stress. The application of these biostimulants increased physiological and biochemical parameters, under water deficit, and led to a decline in malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), notably on plants treated with AMF + Vc. Overall, the results pointed out the role of AMF and vermicompost as strategic applicable tools in better mitigation of drought stress in the prickly pear.