ALLEVIATING SALINITY STRESS ON DIFFERENT GENOTYPES OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) USING MYCORRHIZAE FUNGI | ||||
| Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences | ||||
| Volume 24, Issue 1, April 2025, Page 112-141 PDF (987.27 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Full research articles | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jaesj.2025.343505.1224 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
Ebrahim A Ebrahim Shehata   ; Elsayed Abdelraouf; Hesham Fathi Mousa Kishar; Heba Salim
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| Department of Natural Resources and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study aimed to evaluate the response of different maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes to salinity stress under mycorrhizae inoculation. The experiment was conducted in pots sand culture, where plants were irrigated with modified Hoagland nutrient solution. The main plot consisted of three maize genotypes: Pioneer SC.3444, Hitech 2066, and Agrofood 168, while the sub-plot factor comprised eight treatments: four salinity levels (0, 25, 50, and 75 mM NaCl) with mycorrhizae and four others without mycorrhizae. Four weeks after sowing, plants were harvested, and the salinity effects were evaluated. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in plant growth, germination, and physiological parameters across all genotypes due to salinity stress. In cross-genotype comparisons, Agrofood was the most promising genotype for saline conditions, particularly when combined with mycorrhizae inoculation, offering significant potential for improving maize productivity in salt-affected areas due to superior water retention and osmotic adjustment mechanisms. Pioneer SC.3444 showed moderate tolerance, while Hitech 2066 was most affected by salinity. Mycorrhizae inoculation improved the highest salinity tolerance and increase fresh weight, dry weight, shoot length, and chlorophyll content. Mycorrhizae helped retain RWC under stress. The enhanced performance with mycorrhizae aligns with recent research demonstrating that arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi improve plant growth and stress tolerance through enhanced nutrient uptake, improved water relations, and modulation of plant hormonal balance. For saline soils, inoculation recommended, especially for resilient genotypes like Agrofood. These findings emphasize the importance of mycorrhizae fungi as a sustainable solution to mitigate salinity stress and enhance crop performance in adverse environments. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Germination Parameters; maize; salinity stress; mycorrhizae | ||||
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