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. 2022 Oct 27;11(21):2875. doi: 10.3390/plants11212875

Table 1.

Examples of AMF alleviating abiotic stress in tropical legume crops.

Abiotic Stress Host Plant AMF Species Level of Stress Observed Abiotic Stress Effects Observed Mycorrhizal Effects Reference
Drought Soybean (Glycine max) Rhizophagus clarus 3 and 7 days

  1. Significantly reduced growth, especially the drought-sensitive cultivar

  2. Decreased water potential, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate

  3. Higher AMF colonization in drought-stressed plants

  1. Mycorrhizal plants showed improved growth, higher transpiration, photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, water contents, leaf N & K contents, and stomatal conductance

 [21]
Soybean (Glycine max) Glomus mosseae 1 10 days

  1. Reduced growth

  2. Nodule experienced lower weight, nitrogenase activity and higher SOD activity

  3. Drought-stressed plants had higher lipid peroxidation, higher antioxidant enzyme activity for CAT, APX, GR but similar SOD activity

  1. Mycorrhizal plants showed higher growth, nodule nitrogenase activity

  2. Nodule of mycorrhizal plants exhibited higher weight, nitrogenase activity

  3. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited lower lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activity except for SOD

  4. Under drought stress, mycorrhizal plants depleted more soil water content

 [59]
Soybean (Glycine max) Ambispora leptoticha 50 and 70% field capacity from 31st to 50th day after sowing

  1. Drought-stressed plants showed lower growth, pod yield and weight, number and weight of seeds, number and weight of nodules, chlorophyll contents

  1. Dual inoculation with AMF Ambispora leptoticha and Bradyrhizobium liaoningense showed better performance in plant growth, pod yield and weight, number and weight of seeds, number and weight of nodules, chlorophyll content

 [60]
Soybean (Glycine max) Rhizophagus clarus, Gigaspora gigantea, Funneliformis mosseae, Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Paraglomus occulum 40, 70 and 100% field capacity

  1. Reduction in plant growth in terms of leaf and branch numbers, lower seed yield, weight and fatty acid contents, number of root nodules

  1. Mycorrhizal plants with or without rhizobia showed enhanced growth, higher seed yield, weight and fatty acid contents, root nodule number, relative water content

 [61]
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Glomus mosseae 1 6, 12 and 18 days

  1. Decreased growth in terms of shoot and root dry weight, leaf area and number; decreased yield in terms of number, length and weight of pod and grain number; decreased nutrient contents

  2. Decreased chlorophyll pigment contents, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance

  3. AMF colonization increased at 6 to 12 days drought treatment but decreased at 18 days

  1. Mycorrhizal plants showed improved growth and yield

  2. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited higher chlorophyll content, nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, protein, folic acid and fiber)

  3. Both AMF and endophytic bacteria, when applied singly or together improved plant growth under water stress

 [62]
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Glomus etunicatum 2, Glomus intraradices 3 and Glomus monosporum Irrigation at 75, 60, and 45% of water holding capacity

  1. Decrease in plant growth, pod yield and weight, chlorophyll content, total sugar

  2. Higher proline at low water holding capability

  3. Lower mineral and micronutrient concentrations

  1. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited higher total sugars, chlorophyll content, total protein, N, P, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu

  2. Mycorrhizal plants obtained higher plant growth, and pod yield

 [63]
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Glomus clarum 4, Acaulospora scrobiculata, and Gigaspora rosea 96 h

  1. Reduced growth, leave and root dry matters, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, water use efficiency

  1. No statistically significant difference was observed between mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants in terms of plant growth, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and water use efficiency

  2. AMF treatment led to differential expression and regulation of genes such as aquaporins

 [64]
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Rhizophagus irregularis, and Funneliformis mosseae 6 weeks

  1. Decrease in plant growth, relative water content, membrane stability, uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus, chlorophyll contents

  2. Decline in AMF colonization, mycelium, vesicles, arbuscules and spore number

  3. Decreased number of nodules, nodule weight, leghemoglobin, and nitrate reductase activity

  1. AMF-inoculated plants showed improved growth

  2. Amendments with AMF and/or biochar showed increased relative water content and membrane stability, uptakes of nitrogen and phosphorus, chlorophyll synthesis

  3. Mycorrhizal plants showed higher number of nodules, nodule weight, leghemoglobin, and nitrate reductase activity

 [65]
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Rhizophagus irregularis, Funneliformis geosporum and Claroideoglomus claroideum Rainfed, 25, 50 and 100% water requirement and 100% water requirement only in reproductive stage

  1. Decrease in plant growth and grain yield, seed number and weight of seeds

  1. Co-inoculation of PGPB and AMF showed the highest performance in enhancing plant growth and grain yield, higher seed number and weight

 [66]
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Rhizophagus irregularis Soil moisture kept at 25, 50 and 75% field capacity

  1. Reduced growth and chlorophyll content

  2. Reduced grain yield in terms of the number, weight, and crude protein content

  1. AMF treatment enhanced growth in terms of root, shoot and total plant dry weight, chlorophyll content under moderate water deficit but performance dropped under severe water deficit

  2. AMF treatment showed slight improvement in grain yield compared to non-stressed controls

  3. AMF and nitrogen-fixing bacteria combination showed the best performance in terms of plant growth and grain yield

 [67]
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Rhizophagus irregularis 35 to 40% field water holding capacity

  1. Marked reduction in growth, relative water content of leaf, stem and root, chlorophyll contents

  2. Lower mycorrhizal rate

  3. Increased levels of antioxidant enzyme activity, ROS and lipid peroxidation in both leaves and roots

  4. Increased antioxidant enzyme gene expression for Cu/Zn SOD, APX and GR

  1. AMF treatment enhanced growth in term of dry weight, relative water content of leaf, stem and root

  2. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited higher antioxidant enzyme activity, lower ROS and MDA concentrations in both leaves and roots

  3. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited higher antioxidant enzyme gene expression for Cu/Zn SOD, APX and GR in all or at least one organ out of roots, stems and leaves

 [68]
Salinity Faba bean (Vicia faba) Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum 50 mM and 100 mM NaCl

  1. Decreased growth, yield, seed weight, pigment contents, K+ and Ca2+

  2. Increased polyamines, MDA, acid and alkaline phosphatase, antioxidant enzymes, Na+ content

  3. Decreased nodulation, leghemoglobin, and nodule activity

  4. AMF spore count and colonization decreased

  1. Mycorrhizal plants showed improved growth, higher number of pod plants, pod dry weight and pigment contents

  2. Mycorrhizal plants showed higher leghemoglobin and nodule activity, K+ and Ca2+ contents, increased antioxidant enzymes, polyamines

  3. AMF-inoculated plants showed higher nodule number, nodule mass, leghemoglobin, and nodule activity

  4. Mycorrhizal plants showed lower lipid peroxidation, Na+ content

 [69]
Green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Glomus irradicans 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 ppm

  1. Reduced growth and pod yield, chlorophyll concentration, leaf relative water content

  2. Higher antioxidant enzyme activity, Na+, Cl−

  1. AMF improved the growth, biomass of shoot, pod yield, chlorophyll, and antioxidant enzyme activity

  2. AMF-infected plants showed higher leaf relative water content

  3. Similar effects were also observed in B. megaterium

 [70]
Soybean (Glycine max) Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum 200 mM NaCl in irrigation water

  1. Reduction in seed germination, nodulation, nodule mass, nitrogenase activity, growth hormones and chlorophyll contents reduced significantly

  2. Reduced AMF root colonization

  3. MDA, H2O2 and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) production increased significantly

  1. Mycorrhizal plants showed higher nodulation, nodule mass, leghemoglobin content and nitrogenase activity, chlorophyll content and auxin synthesis

  2. Mycorrhizal plants were protected from salt-induced membrane damage and showed reduced MDA, H2O2 and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) production

 [71]
Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis 0, 60 and 100 mM

  1. Reduced legume growth, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents of plants

  2. Reduced AMF root colonization

  3. Reduced nodulation, nodule dry weight, leghemoglobin and nitrogenase activity; higher trehalose accumulation in nodules

  4. The salinity effects on pigeon pea were more serious in salt-sensitive than salt-tolerant genotype

  1. AMF-inoculated plants showed higher biomass, nodulation, leghemoglobin, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents

  2. Nodules of mycorrhizal plants showed the highest trehalose content

  3. Rhizophagus irregularis performed better than Funneliformis mosseae and native inoculum from saline soil

 [72]
Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) Rhizophagus irregularis 0–100 mM NaCl

  1. Decreased plant growth, AMF root colonization

  2. Salt-stressed plants showed increased superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation

  3. Increased levels of antioxidant enzymes and non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules

  1. Salt-stressed mycorrrhizal plants resulted in higher biomass and antioxidant enzymatic activities and non-enzymatic antioxidants

  2. Inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis (alone or mixed culture) showed better results than Funneliformis mossseae and native inoculum

 [73]
Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) Glomus mosseae 1 4, 6, and 8 dS/m

  1. Nodule number increased at 4 to 6 dS/m but decreased at 8 ds/m

  2. Nodule size and biomass declined in all salt concentrations, sharp reduction in leghemoglobin content

  3. Increased antioxidant levels, lipid peroxidation

  1. Mycorrhizal plants were more tolerant to salinity, showed higher nodule biomass, leghemoglobin content, nitrogenase activity and antioxidant enzyme activities

  2. Mycorrhizal plants showed reduced lipid peroxidation and membrane permeability

 [74]
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Glomus monosporum 5, Glomus clarum 4, Gigaspora nigra, and Acaulospora laevis 0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl

  1. Increased salinity caused lower plant growth, leaf number and water content, chlorophyll content, AMF root colonization

  2. Higher acid and alkaline phosphatase activities, higher proline content and antioxidant enzymes in AMF-inoculated plants

  1. AMF-inoculated plants showed enhanced growth, higher chlorophyll content, higher water content, proline, antioxidant enzyme, and phosphatase levels

 [75]
Grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) Glomus mosseae 1 0, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% (w/w) sodium sulphate

  1. Sulphate salinity stress reduced plant growth and biomass, nodule biomass, phosphorus and nitrogen contents, AMF colonization

  2. Salinity increased proline contents

  1. Increased plant height, AM colonization, total biomass, nodules biomass, P and N concentrations, proline concentration

 [76]
Pea (Pisum sativum) Rhizoglomus intraradices, Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizoglomus fasciculatum and Gigaspora sp. Use of soil with high salinity

  1. Salt-stressed plants had lower plant growth, higher Na+, lower membrane stability index, lower yield, chlorophyll content

  2. Increased sodium ion and proline content

  1. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited lower proline, sodium ion

  2. Mycorrhizal plants had enhanced chlorophyll synthesis, lignin deposition, higher potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium ions

  3. Multispecies-based consortium AMF performed better than single species AMF and non-inoculated in salt-stressed plants

 [77]
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices and Claroideoglomus etunicatum 200 mM NaCl

  1. Salt stress reduced growth and biomass, leaf size and number, chlorophyll contents, leaf water content, membrane stability

  2. Salinity reduced AMF spore count and colonization

  3. Salt stress decreased potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium but increased sodium, proline, and MDA

  4. Increased antioxidant enzyme activities

  1. AMF ameliorated the impact of salt stress on plant growth

  2. AMF-inoculated plants showed enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities and membrane stability, increased uptake of mineral elements, higher chlorophyll contents, higher leaf water content, higher proline

 [78]
Alfafa (Medicago sativa) Funneliformis mosseae 1.4 (control), 7 and 12 dS/m soil salt concentration

  1. Decreased plant growth and biomass, root soluble nitrogen, potassium, and calcium

  2. Salinity caused an increased sodium concentration, reduced potassium, and calcium

  1. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited significantly higher biomass, root sugar and nitrogen content and remobilization, reduced sodium but increased potassium and calcium

 [79]
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Funneliformis mosseae 0–100 mM NaCl

  1. Reduced plant biomass, AMF colonization, calcium, and silicon contents

  2. Significant increase of ROS, MDA, indicating higher ionic leakage

  1. AMF colonization and silicon treatment improved plant biomass and growth

  2. AMF-inoculated plants showed upregulated antioxidant enzymes and ascorbate-glutathione cycle while silicon reduced accumulation of stress metabolites more efficiently

 [80]
Sesbania Pea (Sesbania cannabina) Glomus mosseae 1 200 mM NaCl

  1. Reduced growth and biomass

  1. Enhanced growth and biomass

  2. Enriched GO functional term for oxidation-reduction process, with DEGs associated with photosynthesis, ROS scavenging in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways

 [81]
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Rhizophagus irregularis and Funneliformis mosseae 200 mL of 200 mM NaCl at 2-day intervals

  1. Lower plant growth in terms of root weight and length, shoot weight, chlorophyll content, relative water content of leaf

  2. Higher H2O2 and MDA were detected

  3. Increased antioxidant enzyme activity, osmolyte concentration

  4. Regulation of genes for stress response, oxidation-reduction, proline catabolism, cell wall biogenesis and so on

  1. Enhanced growth, higher photosynthetic rate, leaf relative water content, osmolyte accumulation but lower leaf relative electrolyte conductivity

  2. Increased antioxidant enzyme activities but reduced MDA concentration

  3. Increased peanut yield, protein content in kernel

  4. AMF inoculation helped in regulation of genes responsible for oxidation-reduction process, pyruvate transport, carbohydrate metabolic process, and cell wall biogenesis and cell growth

 [22]
Heat Mung bean (Vigna radiata) and cashew (Anacardium occidentale) Glomus intraradices 3 22, 30 and 38 °C

  1. Low plant growth in term of shoot dry weight and root growth for both mung bean and cashew plants

  2. High temperature slowed down AMF infection in mung bean

  3. No AMF infection occurred in cashew plants at 38 °C

  4. Low AMF spore germination

  1. Higher plant growth, enhanced root growth with AMF inoculation

 [82]
Barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) Rhizophagus irregularis Average increase at 1.53 °C

  1. Reduced plant growth in terms of shoot and root biomass, flower and seed number, leaf sugar concentration, root sucrose concentration, shoot Zn and root P concentration

  2. Night warming increased AMF root colonization but not arbuscule number

  1. Enhanced plant growth in terms of root biomass, flower number, leaf sugar concentration, shoot Zn and root P and Ca concentration

  2. Increased expression of some sucrose synthase genes, but decreased expression of the rest

 [83]
Soybean (Glycine max) Glomus versiforme 6 18.2, 21.6, 25 °C

  1. Reduced nodule weight and AMF colonization

  1. Nodule number increased in AMF-inoculated plants

 [84]
Waterlogging Snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Glomus intraradices 3, Etrophospora columbiana, Gigaspora margarita and Gigaspora rosae Periodic 8h flooding weekly

  1. Reduced plant growth in terms of root dry weight

  2. Periodic flooding and subsequent draining had minimal effects on AMF root colonization

  1. Improved growth in term of root dry weight compared to non-inoculated plants

 [85]

1 Glomus mosseae has been reclassified as Funneliformis mosseae, 2 Glomus etunicatum has been reclassified as Claroideoglomus etunicatum, 3 Glomus intraradices has been reclassified as Rhizophagus intraradices, 4 Glomus clarum has been reclassified as Rhizophagus clarus, 5 Glomus monosporum has been reclassified as Funneliformis monosporus, 6 Glomus versiforme has been reclassified as Diversispora versiformis.