Using Fungal Endophytes for Increasing Water Productivity and Tolerance of Wheat Plants to Drought Stress

Badr Eldin, Rasha; G. Saad, Mona M.; KH. Abdelhalim, Abd Elhady

doi:10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2022.281418

Using Fungal Endophytes for Increasing Water Productivity and Tolerance of Wheat Plants to Drought Stress

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ soil and water department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, 21545-El- Shatby, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

³ Water Requirements and Field Irrigation. Dept.,Soil water and Environment Research Institute, ARC, Egypt.

10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2022.281418

Abstract

Abiotic stresses are dramatically affecting plant growth. The research was conducted to understand the effect of fungal endophytes as a soil amendment to alleviate abiotic stress (drought) on wheat plant. Five fungal endophytes were isolated from semi-arid areas and applied to sandy soil. Pot experiments had been achieved under three water treatments well irrigated 100% of FC, moderate stress 60% of FC and severe stress 40% of FC. The physiological parameters had been measured (shoot and root fresh weights, shoot and root dried weights, plant height, grain weight, chlorophyll content, and proline content). The results showed all physiological plant parameters decreased with increasing water stress because it is adversely affected plant growth. Except proline content that increased with decreasing of water content. Results showed that Rhizopus sp < /strong> and Curvularia sp < /strong> enhanced plant drought tolerance through significant increasing in plant growth parameters and decreasing in proline content. Also, these funguses increased irrigation water productivity for wheat plant under stressed condition. So, fungal endophytes have a potential effect that increases water productivity and wheat tolerance to drought stress.

Keywords