Uncovering the impact of AM fungi on wheat nutrient uptake, ion homeostasis, oxidative stress, and antioxidant defense under salinity stress

The growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) is constrained by soil salinity, although some fungal species have been shown to enhance production in saline environments. The yield of grain crops is affected by salt stress, and this study aimed to investigate how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) mitigates salt stress. An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of AMF on wheat growth and yield in conditions of 200 mM salt stress. Wheat seeds were coated with AMF at a rate of 0.1 g (108 spores) during sowing. The results of the experiment demonstrated that AMF inoculation led to a significant improvement in the growth attributes of wheat, including root and shoot length, fresh and dry weight of root and shoot. Furthermore, a significant increase in chlorophyll a, b, total, and carotenoids was observed in the S2 AMF treatment, validating the effectiveness of AMF in enhancing wheat growth under salt stress conditions. Additionally, AMF application reduced the negative effects of salinity stress by increasing the uptake of micronutrients such as Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn while regulating the uptake of Na (decrease) and K (increase) under salinity stress. In conclusion, this study confirms that AMF is a successful strategy for reducing the negative effects of salt stress on wheat growth and yield. However, further investigations are recommended at the field level under different cereal crops to establish AMF as a more effective amendment for the alleviation of salinity stress in wheat.