Influence of arbuscular mycorrhiza on osmotic adjustment compounds and antioxidant enzyme activity in nodules of salt-stressed soybean (Glycine max)

The influence of the colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Glomus mosseae (Nicolson and Gerdemann), on characteristics of growth, osmotic adjustment compounds and activity of antioxidant enzymes in nodules of salt-stressed soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) was studied in this experiment. The pot experiment was arranged as a factorial in randomized complete block design with four replications at greenhouse of College of Agriculture, Tehran University, Iran. Results indicated that the contents of glycine betaine and proline in nodules were higher in inoculated than in noninoculated plants. AM fungal colonization increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase in the nodules. The results indicate that the AM fungus is capable of alleviating the damage caused by salt stress on symbiotic nitrogen fixation of soybean plants by increasing the accumulation of compatible osmolytes and by increased antioxidant enzyme activity. Consequently, arbuscular mycorrhiza formation highly enhanced the salinity tolerance of soybean plant, which increased symbiotic nitrogen fixation and promoted plant growth.