Mycorrhizal colonization and root nodulation in sabiá seedlings (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth.) at different salinity levels

Abstract

The sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia Benth.) is a plant species native to the Brazilian northeast and brings together some fundamental features for use in rehabilitation programs of salinized areas, especially if associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (BFN). The aim of this study was to evaluate the mycorrhizal colonization and root nodulation of sabiá seedlings fertilized with organic compost and irrigated with water at different electrical conductivities. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design with a factorial scheme of 2 (presence and absence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) x 2 (presence and absence of  an organic compound) x 5 levels of electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (0.7, 1.2, 2.2, 3.2 and 4.2 dS m-1), and three repetitions. The results obtained indicate that: salinity reduced mycorrhizal colonization and root nodulation of the sabiá seedlings; intensifying  salt-stress conditions increased the  mycorrhizal dependence of the sabiá seedlings; the colonization of seedlings with AMF caused increases in the root-nodule dry matter of about 1900%; the arbuscular mycorrhiza reduced the pH after soil cultivation; and the addition of vermicompost had no effect on the mycorrhizal colonization of the sabiá seedlings, but did increase the production of root-nodule dry matter.