Traversing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Pseudomonas fluorescens for carrot production under salinity

Abstract

Carrot is a vital supply of dietary fiber, vitamins, and carotenoids, and it is also rich in antioxidants and minerals. Soil salinity significantly reduces the yield and quality of carrots. Mycorrhiza inoculum (AMF) is known to improve morphological and biochemical traits of vegetables even under saline conditions. But the role of AMF in combating soil salinity effect in carrot is not studied in detail. Therefore here, in the first set, carrot seeds are inoculated with microbes in a pot experiment under polyhouse condition. In total, we applied 7 treatments with different combinations of Mycorrhiza inoculum (Glomus mosseae (G_m) and Gigaspora gigantea (G_g)) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (Pseudomonas fluroscens (P_f)). In pot experiment study the best two treatments were the combination of G_m + P_f + G_G and P_f + G_G. Both of these treatments were selected for validation under the open field conditions. Primarily, there seems to be a promising opportunity for AMF application to carrots under pot culture as well as under field trials because of promising effect towards morphological parameters, especially root weight, and disparities in nutrients and metabolites. Overall, our study highlights mycorrhizal fungi and other microbes' efficacy in achieving a successful carrot production under salinity stress.

Keywords: Carrot; Gigaspora gigantea; Microbes; Mycorrhizal fungi; Pseudomonas fluorescens; Soil.

Fig. 1

Variation for the proline (μmol g⁻¹ FW), Superoxide dismutase (SOD; U mg⁻¹ protein), Ascorbate peroxidase (APX; mg protein min-10) and Catalase (CAT; U mg⁻¹ protein) in the salt screening experiment, where C: Control; S: Salt stress with no inoculum; SGPG: Salt stress with Glomus mosseae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Gigaspora gigantea; SPG: Salt stress with Glomus mosseae and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Salt stress – 150 mM NaCl (after 10 days of germination).