Zinc (Zn) deficiency can severely inhibit plant growth, yield, and enzymatic activities. Zn plays a vital role in various enzymatic activities in plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in improving the plant's Zn nutrition and mitigating Zn stress effects on plants. The current study was conducted to compare the response of inoculated and non-inoculated maize (YH 1898) in the presence of different levels of zinc under greenhouse conditions under a Zn deficient condition. There were two mycorrhizal levels (i.e., M + with mycorrhizae, M- without mycorrhizae) and five Zn levels (i.e., 0, 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 mg kg-1), with three replicates following completely randomized design. At the vegetative stage (before tillering), biochemical, physiological, and agronomic attributes were measured. The results showed that maize plants previously inoculated with AMF had higher gaseous exchange traits, i.e., a higher stomatal conductance rate, favoring an increased photosynthetic rate. Improvement in antioxidant enzyme activity was also observed in inoculated compared to non-inoculated maize plants. Moreover, AMF inoculation also played a beneficial role in nutrients availability and its uptake by plants. Higher Zn12 (12 mg Zn kg-1 soil) treatment accumulated a higher Zn concentration in soil, root, and shoot in AMF-inoculated than in non-inoculated maize plants. These results are consistent with mycorrhizal symbiosis beneficial role for maize physiological functioning in Zn deficient soil conditions. Additionally, AMF inoculation mitigated the stress conditions and assisted nutrient uptake by maize.

Department of Agronomy MNS University of Agriculture Multan Multan 60000 Pakistan

Department of Agronomy The University of Haripur Haripur 22620 Pakistan

Department of Biology University of Waterloo Waterloo ON N2L 3G1 Canada

Department of Botany Hindu College Moradabad Bareilly 244001 India

Department of Geology and Pedology Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology Mendel University in Brno Zemedelska1 61300 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Physiology College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital King Saud University Medical City PO Box 2925 Riyadh 11461 Saudi Arabia

Department of Soil Science Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800 Pakistan

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