The Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Maize under Drought Stress

This research looked into how Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) can be utilized to improve maize production, a staple food in Kano Nigeria against the effect of drought, and aimed at determining the effect of indigenous AMF inoculant on oxidative stress biomarkers in maize under drought stress. This was done by inoculating the maize with AMF in a green house and exposing them to drought. Subsequently, enzyme assay of Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) was determined in the maize using protocols in their respective kits. AMF had significant effect on the antioxidant system by elevating enzymes in maize with the AMF inoculant. In SOD, the enzyme was elevated in maize on Severe drought (SD) +AMF by 0.70U/mls compared to control on SD without AMF with 0.15U/mls, the AMF also had significant effect on Catalase in maize on SD+AMF by 0.76 U/mls compared to control on SD without AMF with 0.23U/mls and in glutathione peroxidase GPX in maize on SD+AMF  0.76 U/mls compared to Control on SD without AMF with 0.28 U/mls, and in all the treatment  AMF had significant effect on antioxidant enzyme elevation in maize under drought stress with AMF resulting in elimination of reactive oxygen species and mitigating drought stress, this implies that drought was mitigated in maize with AMF due to high elevation in antioxidant enzymes compared to Maize without AMF that had low antioxidant enzymes.