Effects of Funneliformis mosseae and Pseudomonas fluorescens on some growth and nutritional parameters of Mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under drought stress in a greenhouse condition

To evaluate the effects of Pseudomonas fluorescens strain 169 and Funneliformis mosseae on drought resistance of mung bean a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications conducted in a greenhouse condition at Islamic Azad University of Miyaneh branch, Iran, in 2016. The drought stress treatments included: normal irrigation (control), stopping irrigation in flowering stage, stopping irrigation in pods formation stage. Inoculation treatments included: non-inoculation (control), inoculation with Funneliformis mosseae, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain169 and Funneliformis mosseae + Pseudomonas fluorescens strain169.  According to variance analysis of data, effects of drought stress on the majority of morphophysiological traits except phosphorous content, the number of seeds per pod were significant. Interaction effects of inoculation and drought stress based on plant height, relative water content and amount of nitrogen were significant respectively in statistical levels of P≤0.01, P≤0.05 and P≤0.01 respectively. High amount of root colonization percentage (55.4%) observed in plants inoculated with Pseudomonas fluorescens strain169 which was non-significant with co-inoculated ones. Based on mean comparison, drought stress reduced the majority of morphophysiological traits significantly. All inoculation treatments had the highest value in comparison with control. Co-inoculation of Funneliformis mosseae and Pseudomonas fluorescence 169 was more effective in improving the number of seeds per pod. Funneliformis mosseae inoculated plants had 17.4%, 29.5% and 28.5% enhancement in plant height, the number of leaves for each plant and phosphorous amount in comparison with control respectively.