Enhancing Growth And Physiological Traits Of Faba Bean Plants Through Inoculation With Trichoderma Viride And UV-Induced Mutants

The pots experiment examined the effects of inoculating Trichoderma viride and its UV-induced mutations on a range of physiological characteristics and growth indices in faba bean plants (Vicia faba L). The findings showed that, in comparison to the control group, inoculation with Trichoderma viride and its variants markedly improved the growth parameters of faba bean plants at the 21-day stage. UV-induced mutations, namely mutants 28 and 40, showed significant increases in fresh and dry weights, leaf area, shoot and root lengths, and pigment content, particularly levels of carotenoid and chlorophyll. Addi-tionally, the mutations resulted in decreased synthesis of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased amounts of proline. Trichoderma viride and its variants significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), with the most notable benefits occurring in mutants 28 and 40. These results highlight how Trichoderma viride and its mutations can improve the physiological responses and vigor of faba bean plants, providing information about how they might be used in agricultural techniques to increase crop productivity and stress tolerance