Mitigation of salinity stress by using the vermicompost and vermiwash

Abstract

Salinity in agricultural soils decreases productivity in a wide variety of crops. Vermicompost and vermiwash have humic substances that interact with the organic components of the soil and the roots of plants, where they can influence the tolerance to salinity. Plants grown in saline soils suffer from stress; however when adding vermicompost, the symptoms of the stress decrease. Also, an increase in tolerance to salinity by application of vermiwash has been reported. The foliar and edaphic application of vermiwash and vermicompost improves the activity of antioxidant enzymes and reduces electrolyte leakage, oxidative stress, and accumulation of Na in the tissues suggesting the mechanisms by which the application of vermiwash and vermicompost can alleviate the damage caused by salinity. Plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is another factor. Species of the genus Serratia, Pseudomonas, and Azospirillum and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can mitigate the effects of salinity in plants; however, research is still needed to explain the beneficial effects.