Inoculation of Trichoderma asperelloides ameliorates aluminum stress-induced damages by improving growth, photosynthetic pigments and organic solutes in maize.

Excess aluminum (Al) is a stressful condition that affects plant growth and yield quality. This study evaluates growth responses and changes in the contents of photosynthetic pigments and organic solute in maize (Zea mays L.) plants inoculated with Trichoderma asperelloides isolates (T01, T02, T74, T76, or T96) and treated with increasing doses of Al (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM of Al). Uninoculated unstressed plants served as control. Absolute growth rate, root length, dry biomass (shoot, roots and total) and shoot:root ratio were significantly affected in Al-stressed maize plants inoculated with T. asperelloides. Also, chlorophylls (a, b and total) were significantly reduced, whereas carotenoids and anthocyanins increased in those plants. Except for carotenoids, all parameters increased in plants inoculated with T. asperelloides, especially T01 or T02 isolates. Anthocyanins increased by 50% in plants inoculated with T74 and treated with 100 or 150 µM Al as compared to control plants. Total soluble carbohydrates increased by 74% and 101% in plants inoculated with T74 and T76, respectively, and treated with 200 µM Al. Total free amino acids increased more than 50% in plants inoculated with T02 and treated with 150 and 200 µM Al. Free prolines increased by 90%, 145% and 165% in plants inoculated with T74 and treated 100, 150 and 200 µM Al, respectively, in comparison to the unstressed control plants. We concluded that T. asperelloides positively affected growth, photosynthetic pigments, and organic solutes of Al-stressed plants, especially those inoculated with T01, T02, or T74 isolates. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03310-3. © King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.