Effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizae fungi and salinity stress on the uptake of some nutrients by corn (Zea mays L.)

Improving soil microbial activity and using symbiosis and synergistic relations between plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plants through improving nutrient uptake can cause better growth of plants especially at salinity tension condition. To investigate the effect of AMF and PGPR application on growth and some nutrient uptake by corn in different levels of soil salinity, a factorial experiment as completely randomized design with 3 replications was conducted in greenhouse of Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran. The first factor included three salinity levels (0, 15 and 30 Meq salt kg-1 soil supplied as a 3:2:1 Na: Ca: Mg chloride salts) and the second factor was microbial inoculation (without inoculation (C), Glumus Intraradices (F), Pesudomonas bacteria (B) and fungi bacteria (B)). Results showed that with increasing salinity levels, root colonization percentage, phosphorous (P), potassium (K), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) uptake by shoot were reduced significantly. Application of all microbial treatments led to a significant increase of above mentioned characteristics. Effect of fungi and fungi-bacterial treatments on enhancement of mentioned characteristics were higher than bacterial treatment eminently. Application of fungi and fungi-bacterial treatment caused a significant increase of K to Na ratio in shoots, which it shows the increase of plant toleration toward to salinity tension. There were positive and significant correlation between uptake of P, K, Fe and Mn by corn and some growth indices such as shoot dry matter, root dry weight, height, leaf area, width of stem, chlorophyll index and root colonization percentage. The results indicated that the fungi and bacterial treatments used in this experiment can cause the increase of corn resistance towards salinity tension through enhancing the root colonization percentage and nutrient uptakes.