Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review
<i>Moringa oleifera</i> (LAM) is a multipurpose tree species with extensive pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties. Production of important medicinal plants is facing decline under changing climatic conditions, which brings along exacerbated abiotic stresses like salinity and intr...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| author | Tshepiso Khoza Absalom Masenya Nokuthula Khanyile Standford Thosago |
| author_facet | Tshepiso Khoza Absalom Masenya Nokuthula Khanyile Standford Thosago |
| author_sort | Tshepiso Khoza |
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| description | <i>Moringa oleifera</i> (LAM) is a multipurpose tree species with extensive pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties. Production of important medicinal plants is facing decline under changing climatic conditions, which brings along exacerbated abiotic stresses like salinity and intraspecific competition, particularly high planting densities. Increasing plant density is seen as a strategy to increase production; however, the intraspecific competition and a lack of arable land limit productivity. Salinity has been estimated to harm approximately six percent of the Earth’s landmass. This leads to a loss of over 20% of agricultural output annually. These stressors can significantly curtail moringa’s growth and yield potential. Literature designates that Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), ubiquitous soil microorganisms forming symbiotic associations with plant roots, offer a promising avenue for mitigating these stresses. This narrative review aims to investigate the utilization of AMF to alleviate the detrimental effects of salinity and high planting density on <i>Moringa oleifera</i>. The different adaptive strategies <i>M. oleifera</i> undergoes to mitigate both stressors are explored. The review found that AMF inoculation enhances plant tolerance to these stressors by improving nutrient acquisition, water relations, and activating stress response mechanisms. By facilitating improved nutrient and water absorption, AMF enhance root architecture, modulate ROS scavenging mechanisms, and promote optimal biomass allocation, ensuring better survival in high-density plantings. Furthermore, AMF-mediated stress alleviation is linked to enhanced physiological efficiency, including increased chlorophyll content, root–shoot biomass balance, and ion homeostasis. This review is important because it could provide insights into a sustainable, natural solution for improving the resilience of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> under adverse environmental conditions, with potential applications in global agriculture and food security. Future research should prioritize identifying and characterizing moringa-specific AMF species and evaluate the long-term efficacy, feasibility, and economic viability of AMF application in real-world moringa cultivation systems to fully harness the potential of AMF in moringa cultivation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3cdbd51de11c45fba0d20055700cb860 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2309-608X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Journal of Fungi |
| spelling | doaj-art-3cdbd51de11c45fba0d20055700cb8602025-08-20T02:28:32ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2025-04-0111432810.3390/jof11040328Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A ReviewTshepiso Khoza0Absalom Masenya1Nokuthula Khanyile2Standford Thosago3School of Agriculture, University of Mpumalanga, Private Bag X11283, Mbombela 1200, South AfricaSchool of Agriculture, University of Mpumalanga, Private Bag X11283, Mbombela 1200, South AfricaSchool of Chemical and Physical Sciences, University of Mpumalanga, Private Bag X11283, Mbombela 1200, South AfricaSchool of Agriculture, University of Mpumalanga, Private Bag X11283, Mbombela 1200, South Africa<i>Moringa oleifera</i> (LAM) is a multipurpose tree species with extensive pharmacological and ethnomedicinal properties. Production of important medicinal plants is facing decline under changing climatic conditions, which brings along exacerbated abiotic stresses like salinity and intraspecific competition, particularly high planting densities. Increasing plant density is seen as a strategy to increase production; however, the intraspecific competition and a lack of arable land limit productivity. Salinity has been estimated to harm approximately six percent of the Earth’s landmass. This leads to a loss of over 20% of agricultural output annually. These stressors can significantly curtail moringa’s growth and yield potential. Literature designates that Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF), ubiquitous soil microorganisms forming symbiotic associations with plant roots, offer a promising avenue for mitigating these stresses. This narrative review aims to investigate the utilization of AMF to alleviate the detrimental effects of salinity and high planting density on <i>Moringa oleifera</i>. The different adaptive strategies <i>M. oleifera</i> undergoes to mitigate both stressors are explored. The review found that AMF inoculation enhances plant tolerance to these stressors by improving nutrient acquisition, water relations, and activating stress response mechanisms. By facilitating improved nutrient and water absorption, AMF enhance root architecture, modulate ROS scavenging mechanisms, and promote optimal biomass allocation, ensuring better survival in high-density plantings. Furthermore, AMF-mediated stress alleviation is linked to enhanced physiological efficiency, including increased chlorophyll content, root–shoot biomass balance, and ion homeostasis. This review is important because it could provide insights into a sustainable, natural solution for improving the resilience of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> under adverse environmental conditions, with potential applications in global agriculture and food security. Future research should prioritize identifying and characterizing moringa-specific AMF species and evaluate the long-term efficacy, feasibility, and economic viability of AMF application in real-world moringa cultivation systems to fully harness the potential of AMF in moringa cultivation.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/328arbuscular mycorrhizal fungicommon mycorrhizal network (CMN)photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)phytochemicalsreactive oxygen species (ROS) |
| spellingShingle | Tshepiso Khoza Absalom Masenya Nokuthula Khanyile Standford Thosago Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review Journal of Fungi arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi common mycorrhizal network (CMN) photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) phytochemicals reactive oxygen species (ROS) |
| title | Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review |
| title_full | Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review |
| title_short | Alleviating Plant Density and Salinity Stress in <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi: A Review |
| title_sort | alleviating plant density and salinity stress in i moringa oleifera i using arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi a review |
| topic | arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi common mycorrhizal network (CMN) photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) phytochemicals reactive oxygen species (ROS) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/328 |
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