Salinity is a major abiotic stressor that impedes plant growth and negatively affects crop yield. However, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can establish a symbiotic relationship with over 80% of terrestrial plant roots. This relationship ultimately results in increased plant growth, improved plant stress resistance, and, consequently, a promising agricultural production and environmental protection solution. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the photosynthetic physiology of strawberries under salinity stress. The greenhouse experiment involved the strawberry cultivar 'Benihoppe', which was inoculated with Glomus mosseae under three salt stress levels (0 mM, 30 mM, and 60 mM). Subsequently, the results showed that salinity stress led to a significant decline in leaf area, fresh biomass, and photosynthetic characteristics of the strawberries. Under salt stress, especially at the concentration of 60 mM. Pn, Gs, Tr, Ci, Fv/Fm, and NPQ showed significant differences. After inoculation of AMF, arbuscular mycorrhiza established a beneficial symbiotic relationship with strawberry roots, which effectively reduced salt damage and promoted the growth of strawberry plants. Leaf area, fresh biomass, and relative chlorophyll content were significantly increased. Pn, Tr, and Gs of mycorrhizal strawberry were significantly higher than those of control group. In addition, the light energy conversion efficiency of strawberry plants inoculated with AMF was improved, thus increasing the potential photosynthetic capacity and photosynthetic rate of strawberry.

Background and aimsArbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are common mutualists in grassland and savanna systems that are adapted to recurrent fire disturbance. This long-term adaptation to fire means that AM fungi display disturbance associated traits which should be useful for understanding environmental and seasonal effects on AM fungal community assembly.MethodsIn this work, we evaluated how fire effects on AM fungal spore traits and community composition vary with fire season (Fall vs. Spring) and time since fire. We tested this by analyzing AM fungal spore traits (e.g., colorimetric, sporulation, and size) from a fire regime experiment.ResultsImmediately following Fall and Spring fires, spore pigmentation darkened (became less hyaline); however, this trait response was not linked to fire driven changes in spore community composition and likely implies a plastic spore pigmentation response to fire. Six months after Fall fires, spores in burned plots were lower in volume, produced less color rich pigment, and had higher sporulation rates, and these differences in spore traits were associated with shifts in AM fungal spore communities demonstrating environmental filtering.ConclusionFire drove plastic and longer-term changes in AM fungal spore traits and community assembly that varied with fire season (stronger effects in Fall) and time since fire. This demonstrates the utility of applying trait-based approaches to microbial community assembly, and the importance of considering changes in community assembly across time.

Soil salinity is a serious problem facing many countries globally, especially those with semi-arid and arid climates. Soil salinity can have negative influences on soil microbial activity as well as many chemical and physical soil processes, all of which are crucial for soil health, fertility, and productivity. Soil salinity can negatively affect physiological, biochemical, and genetic attributes of cultivated plants as well. Plants have a wide variety of responses to salinity stress and are classified as sensitive (e.g., carrot and strawberry), moderately sensitive (grapevine), moderately tolerant (wheat) and tolerant (barley and date palm) to soil salinity depending on the salt content required to cause crop production problems. Salinity mitigation represents a critical global agricultural issue. This review highlights the properties and classification of salt-affected soils, plant damage from osmotic stress due to soil salinity, possible approaches for soil salinity mitigation (i.e., applied nutrients, microbial inoculations, organic amendments, physio-chemical approaches, biological approaches, and nano-management), and research gaps that are important for the future of food security. The strong relationship between soil salinity and different soil subdisciplines (mainly, soil biogeochemistry, soil microbiology, soil fertility and plant nutrition) are also discussed.