Abstract Detail

Ecological Section

Murkute, Ashutosh A. [1], Sharma, Satyawati [1], Singh, S. K. [2].

Effect of salinty (NaCl) o­n physical, nutritional and biochemical parameters in citrus root stocks in the presence of mycorrhizal fungi.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) colonization is a symbiotic relationship between plant roots and beneficial fungi, often thought to increase stress tolerance of the host plants with enhanced water and nutrient absorption. In many cases, however, improved stress tolerance due to AM fungi colonisation can be attributed to enhanced mineral nutrition, particularly phosphorus. Thus, it is not clear that in all the cases where AM is used, whether the stress tolerance is due to fungi inocula per se or due to any other abiotic or biotic factor. Present study was undertaken with the prime objective to study the performance of citrus rootstocks under increasing salinity in the presence of AM fungi. Three-month-old seedlings of Citrus jambhiri and Poncirus trifoliata were inoculated with the indigenous soil based AM inocula (Glomus sp. and Gigaspora sp.). The salinity gradient was developed by frequent irrigation with NaCl (0, 50, 100, 150 mM w/v) for three months. The results indicated that all the physical parameters were affected with increasing salinity. The height of plants, no. of leaves and stem diameter were reduced with increased salinity. Proline, total sugar, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and chloride accumulation increased and chlorophyll contents, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese were decreased significantly with increasing salinity. The AM colonization decreased significantly under salt stress and it did not show in general any significant effect.

1 - Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Centre for Rural Development and Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
2 - Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Fruits and Horticultural Technology, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, New Delhi, 110012, India

Keywords:
Proline
micro- and macro-nutrients
chlorophyll.

Presentation Type: Paper
Session: 40-8
Location: Wasatch (Cliff Lodge)
Date: Tuesday, August 3rd, 2004
Time: 4:15 PM
Abstract ID:57