The role of beneficial soil microorganisms in mitigating detrimental effects of salinity stress in Allium fistulosum

In the last few decades, sea levels have risen mainly because of global warming. This has caused flooding and increased salinity in low-laying coastal agricultural lands. As a result of salinity, crop production is seriously reduced. The present study evaluated the effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis and a rhizospheric bacterium, Pseudomonas flourescens, alone and in dual inoculation on the survival, growth, mycorrhizal colonization, nutrient uptake, glomalin production, and soil aggregation of scallion plants under saline conditions. In saline soils, seedling survival, growth, total biomass, nutrient uptake, glomalin production, and soil aggregation were significantly increased when inoculated with R. irregularis and P. flourescens. Dual inoculation with R. irregularis and P. flourescens were superior than single inoculation. Pseudomonas flourescens stimulated mycorrhizal colonization in saline soils. The present results indicate that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial rhizospheric bacteria offer potential for mitigating salinity stress in A. fistulosum.