Influence of Endophytic Mycoflora of Xerophytes on Drought Resistance of Pepper (Capsicum Annum L.)

Abstract— Because of significant increase of temperature, decrease in seasonal precipitations and hard and frequent droughts on the background of climate global change the attenuation of the yield of many agricultural crops is expected. Different approaches are used to raise plant’s drought resistance. Applying plants endophytes is one of the modern ways of problem solwing. The purpose of the presented work was to study the effect of spraying the pepper plant (Capsicum annum L.) with consortia of endophytic microscopic fungi of wild xerophytes on experimental plant’s drought resistance and productivity. Ten different species of xerophytes served as a source of endophytic fungi: Artemisia lerchiana Weber ex Stechm., Artemisia scoparia Waldst. &Kit., Erigeron canadensis L. (Conyza canadensis), Lactuca serriola L., Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv., Ballota nigra L., Polygonum aviculare L., Tribulus terrestris L., Zygophillum fabago L., and Chenopodium album L. Isolation of microscopic fungi was performed following the standard scheme, i.e. the primary sowings and later – the pure cultures were obtained. The efficiency of the fungal biopreparation was evaluated by the biometrical and biochemical indices of plants. For this purpose the habitus of both control and sptayed plants was observed and the height was measured; as well as the content of plastid pigments and ascorbic acid in leaves was studied. According to experimental results is clear that microscopic fungi alleviated the stress effect on experimental plants and enhanced the drought resistance of photosynthetic apparatus. Biopreparations stimulated the growth and development of test-plants as well, and accelerated the flowering onset.