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Compost and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Synergistic Approach to Improve Drought Tolerance in Capsicum annuum L.
Compost y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares: un enfoque sinérgico para mejorar la tolerancia a la sequía en Capsicum annuum L.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/rfnam.v79.122725Keywords:
Antioxidant enzymes, Nutrient uptake, Oxidative stress, Rhizosphere interactions, Water status (en)Enzimas antioxidantes, Absorción de nutrientes, Estrés oxidativo, Interacciones en la rizosfera, Estado hídrico (es)
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Drought stress significantly limits the growth and productivity of crops such as Capsicum annuum L. This study evaluated the synergistic effects of compost and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on enhancing drought tolerance in capsicum plants. Two AMF species, Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus intraradices, were applied in conjunction with compost to assess their combined impact on physiological and biochemical responses under drought stress. Key parameters such as relative water content (RWC), photosynthetic pigments, mycorrhizal colonization, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, APX, GR, and DHAR), were analyzed. The results showed that the combined application of AMF and compost significantly improved plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and antioxidant defense mechanisms compared with individual treatments. Activities of SOD, CAT, APX, GR, and DHAR increased substantially in treated plants, with the greatest upregulation observed under combined AMF + compost application during drought. The synergistic interaction of AMF and compost enhanced shoot and root biomass, chlorophyll content, and oxidative stress mitigation. These findings suggest that integrating AMF and compost can be a sustainable strategy to improve drought resilience and productivity in capsicum cultivation.
El estrés por sequía limita significativamente el crecimiento y la productividad de cultivos como Capsicum annuum L. Este estudio evaluó los efectos sinérgicos del compost y de los hongos micorrízicos arbusculares (HMA) en la mejora de la tolerancia a la sequía en plantas de pimiento. Se aplicaron dos especies de HMA, Funneliformis mosseae y Rhizophagus intraradices, junto con compost, para evaluar su efecto combinado sobre las respuestas fisiológicas y bioquímicas bajo condiciones de estrés hídrico. Se analizaron parámetros clave como el contenido relativo de agua (CRA), los pigmentos fotosintéticos, la colonización micorrízica, la absorción de nitrógeno y fósforo, y las actividades de las enzimas antioxidantes (SOD, CAT, APX, GR y DHAR). Los resultados mostraron que la aplicación combinada de HMA y compost mejoró significativamente el crecimiento vegetal, la adquisición de nutrientes y los mecanismos de defensa antioxidante en comparación con los tratamientos individuales. Las actividades de SOD, CAT, APX, GR y DHAR aumentaron considerablemente en las plantas tratadas, observándose la mayor regulación positiva bajo la aplicación combinada de HMA + compost durante condiciones de sequía. La interacción sinérgica entre HMA y compost aumentó la biomasa de brotes y raíces, el contenido de clorofila y la mitigación del estrés oxidativo. Estos hallazgos sugieren que la integración de HMA y compost puede ser una estrategia sostenible para mejorar la resiliencia a la sequía y la productividad en el cultivo de pimiento.
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