Journal of Crop Production and Processing

Mendeley  

Zotero  

Ghermezi A, Rabiei G, Shiran B, Nourbakhsh H, Shahbazi E. The Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Growth and Nutrient Uptake of Four Grape Cultivars Under Drought Stress Conditions. Journal of Crop Production and Processing 2025; 15 (4) :55-74
URL: http://jcpp.iut.ac.ir/article-1-3355-en.html

Extended Abstract:
Introduction: Drought stress is one of the important limiting factors affecting horticultural crops production in Iran. It is estimated that more than 80% of Iran’s land area is predominated by arid or semi-arid climate. Grape is of both economical and historical importance among the country’s horticultural products. The long history of viticulture in Iran, besides the availability of a wide variety of commercial grape cultivars, makes it possible to select for the superior and more tolerant genotypes, better adapted to water-scarce environments. It has been shown that inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may improve plant's adaptability to soil conditions, including water stress. Hence, a combination of a tolerant grapevine cultivar and a inoculation with mycorrhizal fungus may improve plant's tolerance to water stress.

Materials and Methods: This study investigated the effect of five species of AMF (Glomus versiform, Glomus intraradices, Glomus etunicatum, Glomus caledonium and Glomus mosseae) at three levels of drought stress (irrigation based on 100% of field capacity (available water) as control, 60% and 35% of field capacity) on growth and nutrient absorption of four grapevine cultivars (Rasheh, Siah-e-Samarghandi, Shirazi and Flame Seedless). A completely randomized design experiment with five replications was conducted in a glasshouse at Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, central Iran, during the 2023-2024. Shoot cuttings were potted to induce adventitious roots, then they were inoculated with the mycorrhizal fungi. Evaluation of symbiosis associations of the mycorrhizal fungi with the plants was performed. Then, drought stress treatments were applied and data on leaf area, fresh and dry weight of both the shoots and roots, root colonization, and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc contents were collected.

Results: Results revealed that leaf area, internode length and fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots were significantly affected by cultivar, AMF and drought stress. With intensification of drought stress, plant nitrogen, phosphorus, iron and zinc concentrations decreased, whilst potassium concentration increased. Drought stress resulted in growth reduction in all examined grape cultivars. Inoculation and hence symbiosis with AMF improved grapevine growth characteristics and nutrient absorption under drought drought stress conditions. The highest plant phosphorus concentration was observed for Siah-e-Samarghandi inoculated with G. intraradices under 60% and 35% drought stress levels (0.23%). The highest potassium concentration was noted for Siah-e-Samarghandi inoculated with G. etanicatum under 60% drought stress (2.12%). Flame Seedless vines inoculated with G. caledonium and at 35% stress level showed the lowest iron (28.59 ppm) and zinc (7.52 ppm) concentrations. The lowest percentage of colonization (44%) was observed for G. caledonium at 35% drought stress. Flame Seedless inoculated with G. intraradices showed the highest leaf area, while the highest internode length was observed for Siah-e-Samarqandi inoculated with G. versiform (3.94 cm) at 60% drought stress. Therefore, based on the results of this study, inoculation with different AMF species may alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress. Siah-e-Samarqandi appeared to be the most tolerant cultivar to drought stress, whereas Flame Seedless was the most sensitive one.
 
Conclusions: This research demonstrated that inoculation with AMF under water stress conditions, significantly improved grapevine cultivars’ growth. This effect was more pronounced when G. intraradices was used. Inoculation with the selected AMF species can improve nutrients’ uptake, as well as the growth of the above ground parts of the grapevine plants. Increase in the colonization of the roots, resulted in higher plant's concentrations of N, P, K, Fe and Zn, and hence increase in the fresh and dry weight of the grapevine's shoots and roots. Among the studied AMF species, G. intraradices and G. mosseae led to greater symbiotic associations with the plants under drought stress. It can be infered that this enhanced symbiotic association can positively affect roots’ morphology and distribution, leading in turn to an enhanced tolerance to drought stress. These findings highlight the importance of mycorrhizal inoculation of grapevine cultivars in their tolerance to drought stress.