Exploring the impact of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza on phytochemical profiles, productivity enhancement and saline stress alleviation in moringa oleifera.

Abstract

Moringa oleifera Lam. is a widely used plant in the Moringaceaea family. It thrives in tropical and subtropical regions and has a maturation period of four to five months. The cultivation of moringa is swiftly gaining popularity and has entered both formal and informal world economies due to its pharmacological and ethnomedicinal benefits. Moringa has been found to tolerate mild salinity (50mM NaCl) by preserving succulence and biomass distribution, but its growth is still significantly affected by high salinity. Crop production worldwide is highly affected by salinity, and with the increasing instability in weather patterns due to climate change, abiotic stress factors such as salinity are expected to increase due to rise in temperature. Saline stress induces physiological disturbances and impairs soil moisture capacity, resulting in water stress and reduced plant growth. With the unpredictability and expected rise in temperatures due to climate change; there is a need to find alternative strategies to adapt plants to stress factors. Several studies have shown that the application of Versicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM) fungi plays a vital role in alleviating salt stress by enhancing nutrient absorption and promoting resistance to salinity. Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal is a fungus that can dissolve the phosphates found in abundance in the soil. They enhance plant growth and protect against stressors. The use of VAM fungi not only helps the plant adapt during stress but can influence the accumulation of phytochemicals, which are highly utilized in medicinal plants. The distribution and abundance of phytochemicals vary throughout the plant and are influenced by environmental factors. The present review discusses and analyses the impact of VAM on moringa development and productivity, as well as its potential in mitigating saline stress.