Soil Salinity Affects Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization of Halophytes

In order to determine the effects of soil salinity on AM fungi colonization in halophytes, plants of semi-arid region of North-Eastern Iran were examined for their colonization in soils with different salinity levels. Roots of several halophytes were colonized and showed typical structure of AM fungi with different levels of colonization. Haloxylon aphyllum, Kochia stellaris, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Seidlitzia rosmarinus and Salsola sp. of the Chenopodiaceae and Zygophyllum eurypterum and Peganum harmala of the Zygophyllaceae were found to be colonized by AM fungi. In several species the mycorrhizal status is reported for the first time. The results of this study revealed that AM colonization in halophytes in soil with high salinity level (16 dS m-1), but colonization was inhibited by very high salinity (45 dS m-1). The AM fungi colonization was absent in halophytes in very high soil salinity conditions may was due to inability of AM fungi to survive such salinity conditions, which may limit the beneficial effects of AM fungi in halophytes.