Abstract: [Objective] In order to reveal the mechanism of increasing salinity tolerance of Elaeagnus angustifolia inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and provide theoretic basis for application of the fungi in salinity soil, the effects of AMF on growth and physiology of E. angustifolia were investigated in this research. [Method] The growth effect of E. angustifolia seedlings respectively inoculated with Glomus intraradices (GI) and Glomus mosseae (GM) were determined in four kinds of soil salinity with a potted experiment. Meanwhile, physiological indicators, including photosynthetic characteristics, Na⁺ and K⁺ content, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline, were detected.[Results] In this experiment, the two AMF were all able to establish symbiotic relationship with E. angustifolia. The colonization rate of G. intraradices was significantly higher than that of G. mosseae. However, mycorrhizal colonization rate decreased with the increasing level of salinity in soil. In addition, the growth of E. angustifolia seedlings inoculated with AMF was significantly enhanced. In moderate salinity stress (total salt 1.56%, pH 9.52), the height of E. angustifolia seedlings inoculated with GI and GM increased by 20.07% and 9.68% than the non-mycorrhizal control, respectively. The dry biomass of mycorrhizal seedlings increased significantly. Besides, AMF significantly increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic characteristics of E. angustifolia. The net photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (G_s), and intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) were significantly higher than those of the non-inoculated control (P<0.05). In GI and GM treatments, the activity of SOD, CAT, and POD in leaves were higher than those of non-mycorrhizal seedlings. However, the content of MDA decreased in the roots and leaves of mycorrhizal seedlings. The proline content increased significantly. The Na⁺ concentrations significantly decreased in roots and leaves of GI and GM treated seedlings, but the K⁺ concentrations and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio increased. [Conclusion] Inoculation with AMF could promote the tolerance of E. angustifolia to salinity. The growth and physiological performance of E. angustifolia seedlings inoculated with G. intraradices were significantly better than those of seedlings inoculated with G. mosseae. This research results indicate that G. intraradices has good application prospect in the improvement of saline land.

Key words: AM fungi, salinity stress, Elaeagnus angustifolia, physiological and biochemical mechanisms