Growth, Water Use Efficiency and Antioxidant Defense Responses of Mycorrhizal and Non Mycorrhizal Allium sativum L. Under Drought Stress Condition

Abstract

Garlic plant inoculated with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus fasciculatum showed improved plant growth shoot length and biomass during drought stress condition. The mycorrhizal garlic plants were absorbing more water during drought stress condition by extraradical hyphae which were spread in soil, which helps in increasing water use efficiency of mycorrhizal garlic plants. The antioxidant defense response either increase or decrease due to response of drought stress. Proline accumulation in shoot was induced by drought stress in non AM inoculated garlic plants. But in root, proline accumulation was higher in AM garlic plants. This suggests that AM fungi help the garlic plants to greater osmotic adjustment under drought stress condition. The work suggest that AM fungi helps the garlic plants by absorbing more water and improved plant biomass by minimizing drought stress effect also activating the antioxidant and non antioxidant defense system to withstand under drought condition.