Mycorrhiza improves plant growth and photosynthetic characteristics of tea plants in response to drought stress

Tea plants are sensitive to soil moisture deficit, with the level of water being a critical factor affecting their growth and quality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve nutrient absorption, but it is not clear whether AMF photosynthetic characteristics tea plants. A potted study was conducted determine effects Claroideoglomus etunicatum on plant growth, leaf status, pigment content, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in Camellia sinensis cv. Fuding Dabaicha under well-watered (WW) drought stress (DS) conditions. Root colonization hyphal length were significantly reduced by eight-week DS treatment. inoculation displayed significant increase shoot root biomass production. The relative potential, nitrogen balance index, maximum photometric effect (Fv/Fm, QY_max), steady-state Y (II) (QY_Lss) decreased dramatically, while saturation deficit non-photochemical quenching (NPQ_Lss) generally increased Mycorrhizal treatment induced higher (chlorophyll, flavonoid, anthocyanin) net photosynthesis rate, transpiration stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, QY_max, QY_Lss; however, resulted lower NPQ_Lss both WW conditions, as compared non-mycorrhizal These results imply that promoted alleviated negative promoting regulating status leaves, parameters.