Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth and physiology of argan tree and maize under water stress conditions
(2025)
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- Authors
- Supervisors
- Stephan, Declerck
- Abstract
- Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels is a tree endemic to Morocco. It is essential to the livelihoods of rural populations due to its oil production, and it also plays a crucial ecological role in preventing soil erosion. However, it is under threat from human pressure, and recent climate change, with reduced rainfall, is further jeopardizing its survival and oil production. Maize (Zea mays L.) is also an economically important crop in Morocco. However, maize often suffers severe grain yield losses under water stress and is highly susceptible to drought. That is why this crop is the third most irrigated crop after alfalfa and berseem. Both plants form symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). These obligate root symbionts play an important role in improving plant mineral nutrition, water uptake, and, above all, drought tolerance. They are therefore considered an innovative strategy to help plants better resist and recover from drought. The present thesis investigated the in vitro association of different argan accessions (City Hanchan, Mejji and Tidzi), with the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833. Subsequently, these argan accessions and maize plants were associated with R. irregularis and subjected to controlled water stress through reduced field capacity. Through a combination of morphological, physiological and biochemical measurements, results showed that the association with and AMF improved the performance and the resistance to drought stress, as well as ensured a better recovery after drought stress. In conclusion, these studies show that early colonization of plants (argan and maize) by AMF is a promising strategy to improve resistance and recovery under drought stress. These findings now need to be validated in the field to confirm their potential as a strategy for coping with drought in arid or semi-arid environments.
- Affiliations
Citations
Ganoudi, M. (2025). Impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on growth and physiology of argan tree and maize under water stress conditions.