Full Length Research Paper

Effects of two different AMF species on growth and nutrient content of pepper seedlings grown under moderate salt stress

Turkmen O.¹*, Sensoy S.², Demir S.³ and Erdinc C.²

¹Selcuk University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Horticulture, 42090 Konya, Turkey.

²Yuzuncu Yil University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Horticulture, 65080 Van, Turkey.

³Yüzüncü Yıl University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Plant Protection, 65080 Van, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: turkmenonder@hotmail.com. Tel.: +90-546-875 06 42.

Accepted 20 December, 2007

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) species on the growth and nutrient contents of pepper seedlings (cv. Demre) grown under moderate salt stress. Two different mychorrhizas (Glomus intraradices and Gigaspora margarita) were tested on a growing media containing moderate salt stress (75 ppm NaCl). The study was replicated four times with 8 plants in each replicate. At the end of the study, some nutrients such as P, K, Ca, and Na and plant growth parameters such as shoot height, stem diameter, root length, and dry and fresh weights of shoots and roots were investigated. Saline condition had negative effects on the seedlings. Both AMF species had positive effects on salt tolerance based on the plant growth parameters and nutrient contents. G. intraradices caused better response in seedling development compared to G. margarita, though insignificantly.

Key words: Arbuscular mychorrhizal fungi, NaCl nutrient, pepper seedling growth.