Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi mitigate negative effects of combined drought and heat stress on tomato plants

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis can alleviate drought and temperature stresses in plants, but it is unknown whether the benefits can be maintained when the plants are exposed to combined drought and heat stress. In this study, the impacts of AM fungi, Septoglomus deserticola and Septoglomus constrictum on tomato plant tolerance to combined drought and heat stress were investigated. No substantial differences in physiological parameters were found in all plants under non-stress conditions, except a higher expression of SlLOXD and SlPIP2.7 in plants + S. constrictum. Under drought, heat and drought + heat stress, both fungal symbionts could moderate oxidative stress by decreasing the lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide level and improving leaf and root antioxidant enzyme activities, however better performance in plants + S. constrictum. Under drought and the combined stress, inoculation with S. constrictum enhanced stomatal conductance, leaf water potential and relative water content, elevated Fv/Fm and biomass production of the hosts as compared to non-inoculated plants whilst these improvements in plants + S. deserticola were not obvious. Under the combined stress inoculation of S. constrictum did not change the expression of SlNCED and SlPIP2.7 in roots as under heat stress. Expression of SlLOXD in root were upregulated in plants + S. contrictum under drought + heat stress as in mycorrhizal roots under drought stress. Altogether, our results indicated that AM inoculation, particularly with S. constrictum had a positive influence on the tomato plant tolerance to drought + heat stress. Further studies are essential to add some light on molecular mechanisms of mycorrhizal plant tolerance to this combined stress.