PJB-2018-793
GROWTH PROMOTION AND SALT STRESS RESISTANCE IN WHEAT OFFERED BY ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ASPERGILLUS ALLIACEUS
SEEMA ALI KHAN
Abstract
As the role of endophytic fungi are slightly known in salinity stress tolerance of crop plants, a strain of endophytic fungi is isolated from Cocos nucifera (L.) generally tolerant of extreme salt spray and recognized as Aspergillus alliaceus. The growth promotion of wheat by endophytic fungi in a saline habi¬tat was studied that shows salt tolerance and estab¬lishes a symbiotic relationship with a host plant. To assess the role of Aspergillus alliaceus (A.alliaceus) in salt stress, seeds of wheat variety Pirsabak-2013 were treated with A. alliaceus prior to sowing and salinity treatment. After germination, 20 day old seedlings were sub¬jected to concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) stress (50, 100, 150 and 200 mM). Salinity adversely affected all examined growth and biochemical characters in wheat. Seeds treated with Aspergillus enhanced significantly the growth promoting characteristics (shoot length, root length, shoot-root fresh weight, shoot-root dry weight and chlorophyll content), biochemicals (total sugar, total protiens, phenols and flavonoids) and compatible solutes (proline and glycine betaine) with and without salts of sodium chloride induced salinity (50,100,150 and 200 mM) stress, as compared with control. Thus, Aspergillus alliaceus amended the antagonistic effects of salinity stress in an eco-friendly manner and rescued wheat plant.
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