Effect of Heavy Metals with Mycorrhiza on Vegetative Growth and Chemical Composition of Maize

الملخص

In order to assess the impact of mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and metal contents in maize plants growing in soil contaminated with heavy metals (lead and cadmium) at different concentrations, a pot experiment was carried out in the city flower garden in Tobruk during 2024. In a randomized complete block design (RCBD), the experiment included 13 treatments: Pb (25, 50, 75, 100, 150 mg/l +200g myco.), Cd (50, 75, 150, 200, 250 mg/l +200g mycorrhiza), and negative control (without mycorrhiza). The findings indicated that, in comparison to the positive control (plus 200g mycorrhiza), which recorded the greater of seed germination, plant height, leaf area, total chlorophyll, total fresh and dry weight, and the negative control (without mycorrhiza), higher concentrations of Cd (250 mg/l cd +200g myco.) and Pb (150 mg/l Pb +200g myco.) recorded the lower germination percentage, plant height, leaf area, total chlorophyll, and total fresh and dry weight with increasing concentrations of Cd and Pb. However, in contrast to the positive control (plus 200g mycorrhiza), which recorded the highest percentage of N, P, and K, and the negative control (without mycorrhiza), higher concentrations of Cd (250 mg/l cd + 200g myco.) and Pb (150 mg/l Pb + 200g myco.) recorded the lowest percentage of N, P, and K. Furthermore, greater Pb (150 mg/l Pb +200g myco.) and Cd (250 mg/l cd +200g myco.) concentrations yielded the greatest values of Pb, whereas Pb content yielded higher values with Pb (150 mg/l Pb +200g myco.) and Cd (250 mg/l cd +200g myco.), respectively. In conclusion, the majority of the time, the stress caused by heavy metals decreased the fresh and dry weights of maize shoots, their phosphorus content, and their mycorrhizal levels. Comparing similar non-mycorrhizal plants to maize plants grown in heavy metal-contaminated soil, mycorrhizal colonization generally boosted the growth response of the former. According to this study, cultivating maize with AM inoculum can boost growth and NPK uptake while reducing the toxicity of heavy metals. The AM fungus is useful in the phytoremediation of heavy metal contamination in soil because it plays a partially protective role for the host plant in this way.