Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on Leymus chinensis seedlings under salt–alkali stress and nitrogen deposition conditions: from osmotic adjustment and ion balance

Nitrogen deposition and soil salinization–alkalization have become major environmental problems throughout the world. Leymus chinensis is the dominant, and considered the most valuable, species for grassland restoration in the Northeast of China. However, little information exists concerning the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the adaptation of seedlings to the interactive effects of nitrogen and salt–alkali stress, especially from the perspective of osmotic adjustment and ion balance. Experiments were conducted in a greenhouse and Leymus chinensis seedlings were cultivated with NaCl/NaHCO(3) under two nitrogen treatments (different concentrations of NH(4)(+)/NO(3)(−)). Root colonization, seedling growth, ion content, and solute accumulation were measured. The results showed that the colonization rate and the dry weights of the seedlings were both decreased with the increasing salt–alkali concentration, and were much lower under alkali stress. Both of the nitrogen treatments decreased the colonization rate and dry weights compared with those of the AM seedlings, especially under the N2 (more NH(4)(+)–N content) treatment. The Na(+) content increased but the K(+) content decreased under salt–alkali stress, and more markedly under alkali stress. AMF colonization decreased the Na(+) content and increased the K(+) content to some extent. In addition, the nitrogen treatments had a negative effect on the two ions in the AM seedlings. Under salt stress, the seedlings accumulated abundant Cl(−) to maintain osmotic and ionic balance, but alkali stress inhibited the absorption of anions and the seedlings accumulated organic acids in order to resist the imbalance of both osmosis and ions, whether under the AM or nitrogen treatments. In addition, proline accumulation is thought to be a typical adaptive feature in both AM and non-AM plants under nitrogen and salt–alkali stress. Our results suggest that the salt–alkali tolerance of Leymus chinensis seedlings is enhanced by association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and the seedlings can adapt to the nitrogen and salt–alkali conditions by adjusting their osmotic adjustment and ion balance. Excessive nitrogen partly decreased the salt–alkali tolerance of the Leymus chinensis seedlings.