Morpho-Physiological Responses and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Amelioration of Telfairia Occidentalis Hook F. to Combinational Stress

Crops are faced with several definite environmental stresses either concurrently or at different periods during their entire growth and productivity season. Combinational occurrence of stresses and pollution such as salinity stress and crude oil pollution is destructive to crop growth and productivity than these stresses occurring separately at different crop growth. This research was aimed at showing different stress combinations (salinity stress and crude oil pollution) and their impact on Telfairia occidentalis and the potential of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus deserticola in ameliorating these deleterious combinational effects. Results from this study showed distinct characteristics of salinity and crude oil pollution in a single and combined stress effect showing remarked reduction in growth parameters (vine length, leaf area, petiole length and internode length), minerals composition (K, Ca, Fe, Mg, P, and Mn) and chlorophyll contents (a, b and carotenoids) of Telfairia occidentalis in the non-mycorrhizal treatments. However, there was an increase in Na+ content in T. occidentalis. Heavy metal analysis revealed high accumulation of Cr, Cd, Cu and Pb in T. occidentalis. The AMF Glomus deserticola induced reduction in heavy metals contents, and showed remarkable promotion of growth, increased mineral contents, chlorophyll contents and salt tolerance in Telfairia occidentalis and as reported by this research to be a latent bioremediating medium against salinity and in sites polluted with organic contaminants such as petroleum hydrocarbons. This research thus supports the continued curiosity surrounding the use of AMF symbiosis as a boost to plants faced with stress as a well-rationaled means.