ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Endophytic Fungi Controls the Physicochemical
Status of Maize Crop under Salt Stress
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1
Department of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
2
Department of Food Science & Technology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan
3
School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
Submission date: 2021-01-04
Final revision date: 2021-03-06
Acceptance date: 2021-03-17
Online publication date: 2021-12-30
Publication date: 2022-01-28
Corresponding author
Muhammad Hamayun
Department of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Garden Campus, 23200, Peshawar, Pakistan
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2022;31(1):561-573
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ABSTRACT
Salt stress is one of the abiotic stresses which negatively affects the growth and yield of different
plants world-wide. The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the physiological and
biochemical parameters of maize plants exposed to salt stress with or without fungal association. The
results indicated that salinity negatively affected the growth attributes, biochemical parameters and
ionic status in maize. In contrast, WSQ association has improved the growth parameters, antioxidant
enzyme activity, IAA and metabolites, N, P, Ca, K and Mg concentrations in maize. Moreover, WSQ
association reduced lipid-peroxidation, Na, Cl, Na/K and Ca/K ratio in maize during salinity stress.
The results of the present study concluded that the endophyticfungal strain WSQ can serve as a good
strategic-tool to improve maize growth under salt-stress.