Arbuscular mycorrhizal consortium alleviates chromium(VI) stress and enhances seed phytochemicals in Psoralea corylifolia L.
Chowdhary NA, Songachan LS
Summary
8.2/10Researchers found that a consortium of beneficial fungi can help medicinal plants tolerate heavy metal contamination while increasing the medicinal compounds in their seeds, offering a practical way to grow high-quality crops on contaminated land.
Key Findings
Arbuscular mycorrhizal consortium improved nutrient uptake (N, P, Mg, Fe, Zn) and strengthened antioxidant protection in Psoralea corylifolia under chromium stress
AMF-inoculated plants produced seeds with significantly higher bioactive compounds (bakuchiol, psoralen, isopsoralen) even at the highest chromium level (50 mg/kg)
Mycorrhizal colonization was identified as a robust indicator linking nutrient status, oxidative stress management, and seed metabolite enrichment across all treatment levels
Original Abstract
Cultivation of high-value medicinal plants on contaminated land requires reliable biomarkers and sustainable remediation strategies. We evaluated a multispecies arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) consortium (Rhizophagus irregularis, Funneliformis mosseae, Claroideoglomus etunicatum) for enhancing stress resilience and phytochemical quality of Psoralea corylifolia under hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure (0, 25, and 50 mg kg⁻¹). Cr(VI) stress increased oxidative burden, membrane injury, and Cr accumulation, while impairing PSII efficiency, nutrient acquisition, biomass production, and seed yield. AMF inoculation substantially alleviated these effects by improving the uptake of essential nutrients (N, P, Mg, Fe, and Zn), strengthening antioxidant protection, and preserving membrane stability, resulting in improved growth and reproductive output under chromium stress. Notably, AMF-colonized plants produced seeds with increased accumulation of key bioactive metabolites, including bakuchiol, psoralen, and isopsoralen, even at the highest Cr(VI) level. Multivariate analyses identified mycorrhizal colonization as a robust integrative indicator linking nutrient status, redox homeostasis, and metabolite enrichment across treatments. Overall, AMF consortia represent an effective, biologically grounded approach to enhance chromium tolerance, stabilize yield, and improve the medicinal value of P. corylifolia. These findings support AMF-assisted cultivation as a practical strategy for producing high-quality medicinal raw material in chromium-contaminated soils while reducing the physiological and biochemical constraints imposed by metal toxicity.
Species Mentioned
Cullen corylifolium, synonym Psoralea corylifolia, (babchi) is a plant used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine. The seeds of this plant contain a variety of coumarins, including psoralen.
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