Investigating the Potential of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Mitigating Water Deficit Effects on Durum Wheat ( Triticum durum Desf.)

Samira Ould Amer, Toufik Aliat, Dmitry E. Kucher, Oussama A. Bensaci and Nazih Y. Rebouh ()
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Samira Ould Amer: Faculty of Life and Nature Sciences, Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi University, Bordj Bou Arreridj 34000, Algeria
Toufik Aliat: Higher National School of Forests, Khenchela 40000, Algeria
Dmitry E. Kucher: Department of Environmental Management, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia
Oussama A. Bensaci: Laboratory of Improvement of the Phytosanitary Protection Techniques in Mountainous Agrosystems (LATPPAM), Agronomy Department, Institute of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Batna 1 University, Batna 05000, Algeria
Nazih Y. Rebouh: Department of Environmental Management, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Wheat is one of the main staple cereal crops worldwide. However, drought-induced stress is one of the factors limiting wheat productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The present study aims to investigate the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on wheat plant growth under water-deficit conditions. Three Algerian durum wheat varieties—Mohamed Ben Bachir (MBB), Boussellem (BS) and Waha (W)—were grown with (+AMF) or without (−AMF) under water-deficit and non-stress conditions. Morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses to AMF inoculation under water deficit were quantified. The results showed improved morphological parameters (height of the aerial part (HAP), internode length (LIN), aerial part dry weight (APDW), root dry weight (RDW), length of the ear (LE)), and chlorophyll content in AMF-inoculated plants under water-deficit conditions compared to control plants (−AMF). Moreover, soluble protein content (SPC) and membrane stability index (MSI) significantly increased with AMF inoculation under water deficit by 18% and 10%, respectively, while the proline content decreased after AMF inoculation. In addition, the water deficit significantly increases peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT), but +AMF decreases them considerably in all studied varieties. The results suggest that AMF inoculation can lead to optimized durum wheat production under arid and semi-arid conditions and provide a basis for further studies on its effects under field conditions.

Keywords: abiotic stress; chlorophyll content; enzymatic activity; proline content; symbiosis; vegetative growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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