# Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi regulate the peanut rhizosphere microbiome to alleviate salinity stress and enhance yield

## TL;DR

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi help peanuts grow better in salty soil by improving the root microbiome and plant health.

## Contribution

This study reveals how AMF inoculation reshapes the peanut rhizosphere microbiome to alleviate salinity stress and boost yield.

## Key findings

- AMF inoculation increased peanut biomass, chlorophyll content, and yield under salt and non-salt conditions.
- Salt stress reduced bacterial diversity, but AMF partially restored alpha diversity and altered community composition.
- AMF enriched nitrogen cycling pathways and promoted a more stable bacterial community under salt stress.

## Abstract

Salt stress threatens peanut yield by impairing physiological performance and disrupting rhizosphere microbial community stability. To investigate how arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) mediate plant–microbe interactions under salt stress, researchers conducted a controlled pot experiment with four treatments: non-salt control (CK), AMF inoculation (A), salt stress (S; 100 mM sodium chloride), and combined AMF inoculation under salt stress (SA), with five biological replicates in each group. Plant growth traits, yield, and rhizosphere bacterial community were assessed at different peanut growth stages. AMF inoculation significantly increased peanut biomass, chlorophyll content, and yield, both under salt and non-salt stress conditions. Salt stress significantly reduced bacterial richness and community evenness, while AMF partially restored α-diversity and reshaped bacterial community composition. Functional predictions indicated that AMF enriched nitrogen cycling pathways such as nitrate reduction and nitrogen fixation. Furthermore, AMF promoted a more complex and stable bacterial community under salt stress, characterized by enhanced synergistic effects among key taxa, including Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. Overall, AMF inoculation enhanced plant performance and rhizosphere bacterial resistance, highlighting its potential as an effective ecological strategy for improving peanut yield in saline-alkali agricultural ecosystems.