Investigation of effective microorganisms application method on alleviation of salt stress effects on root morphology of sweet corn

Abstract

Root morphology can be affected by many factors such as microorganisms. To determine the effect of effective microorganisms (EM) on the root morphology of sweet corn under salt stress, a factorial experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Islamic Azad University of Sabzevar in 2013. Examined factors included application method of EM (soil application, foliar application and soil+foliar application) and intensity of salinity (0, 25, 50, 75 mM). Commercial solution of EM was applied at 30 liters per hectare for soil application and foliar application during five-leaf stage. The highest root dry weight, root density and membrane stability were observed in soil application while the highest root volume, root length, root and shoot dry weight occurred when soil and foliar application were performed together. With increasing intensity of salinity, all traits decreased and the highest traits were observed in the control treatment. Soil application of EM in comparison with other methods alleviates effects of salinity under saline conditions.

Keywords

• effective microorganisms (EM)
• root morphology
• sweet corn
• salinity