Alleviation of NaCl Stress on Growth and Biochemical Traits of Cenchrus ciliaris L. via Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Symbiosis

Soil salinization, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth. To mediate and boost plant tolerance against this abiotic stress, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis is commonly thought to be an effective tool. So, the main purpose of this study was to estimate the role of AMF (applied as a consortium of <i>Claroideoglomus etunicatum</i>, <i>Funneliformis mosseae</i>, <i>Rhizophagus fasciculatum</i>, and <i>R. intraradices</i> species) symbiosis in mitigating deleterious salt stress effects on the growth parameters (shoot length (SL), root length (RL), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), root surface area (RSA), total root length (TRL), root volume (RV), root diameter (RD), number of nodes and leaves) of <i>Cenchrus ciliaris</i> L. plants through improved accumulations of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll <i>_a</i>, chlorophyll <i>_b</i>, total chlorophyll), proline and phenolic compounds. The results of this experiment revealed that the roots of <i>C. ciliaris</i> plants were colonized by AMF under all the applied salinity levels (0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 mM NaCl). However, the rate of colonization was negatively affected by increasing salinity as depicted by the varied colonization structures (mycelium, vesicles, arbuscules and spores) which were highest under non-saline conditions. This association of AMF induced an increase in the growth parameters of the plant which were reduced by salinity stress. The improved shoot/root indices are likely due to enhanced photosynthetic activities as the AMF-treated plants showed increased accumulation of pigments (chlorophyll <i>_a</i>, chlorophyll <i>_b</i> and total chlorophyll), under saline as well as non-saline conditions, compared to non-AMF (N-AMF) plants. Furthermore, the AMF-treated plants also exhibited enhanced accumulation of proline and phenolic compounds. These accumulated metabolites act as protective measures under salinity stress, hence explaining the improved photosynthetic and growth parameters of the plants. These results suggest that AMF could be a good tool for the restoration of salt-affected habitats. However, more research is needed to check the true efficacy of different AMF inoculants under field conditions.