Summary
This study evaluated a four-strain arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) consortium—comprising Rhizophagus irregularis, Rhizophagus clarus, Glomus lamellosum, and Funneliformis mosseae—for its capacity to enhance peanut tolerance to salt, drought, and cold stress. AMF-inoculated plants demonstrated improved photosynthetic performance, stronger antioxidant defences, enhanced osmotic adjustment, and less ultrastructural damage to photosynthetic and mitochondrial apparatus compared with non-inoculated controls. The protective mechanisms operated through alterations in root organic acid and amino acid metabolism under both normal and stress conditions.
Regional applicability
Findings may have limited direct application to UK peanut production, as peanuts are not widely cultivated in the UK climate. However, the AMF-mediated stress-tolerance mechanisms identified could inform strategies for enhancing resilience in UK-grown legume crops (such as field beans and pulses) to emerging temperature extremes and water stress associated with climate change.
Key measures
Plant growth, leaf relative water content (RWC), net photosynthetic rate, maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), antioxidant enzyme activities, K+:Na+ ratio, leaf relative electrolyte conductivity (REC), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, chloroplast thylakoid and mitochondrial structure, organic acid and amino acid metabolite profiles
Outcomes reported
The study measured physiological and metabolomic responses of AMF-inoculated versus non-inoculated peanut plants under salt, drought, and cold stress conditions. Key outcomes included plant growth rates, photosynthetic efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activities, osmolyte accumulation, and subcellular ultrastructure integrity.
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