Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and soil bacteriome interactions affecting maize (Zea mays L.) under saline conditions

We observed a positive interactive effect from bacteriomes and R. irregularis on maize growth under salt stress, but it turned out the effect was not amplified through generations. The enhanced total mycorrhization due to the addition of bacteriomes from different generations was positively correlated with maize dry weight (shoot and root) under salt stress. There is a clear shaping of the rhizosphere bacteriomes over generations in the R. irregularis doted systems under salt stress. These systems selected bacterial taxa such as Candidatus Xiphinematobacter and Massilia, while Betaproteobacteriales and Rhizobiales were selected against. Salt increased arbuscule colonization.
The presence of the bacteriomes increased the overall mycorrhizal colonization level under salinity, however, its effect on the arbuscule levels was variable over generations.