Formulating a Fertilizer Based On Vitreous Fertilizers and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Improve Wheat Growth and Yield Under Water Stress

The degradation and loss of arable land, exacerbated by drought conditions, have hindered the growth and productivity of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Addressing these issues requires practical solutions to sustainably improve T. durum’s drought tolerance and yield. This study evaluated the potential of combining vitreous fertilizer (VF) containing essential elements (P-K-Ca-Mg-Fe-Mn-Zn-B-Cu-Mo) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), applied both separately and in association, to enhance the growth, physiological, biochemical, and yield traits of durum wheat, while mitigating the impact of drought (75% of field capacity (FC), Well-Watered (WW), and 25% FC, Drought Stress (DS)). The experimentation was carried out in a controlled greenhouse. The combination of VF + AMF significantly improved the 1000-grain weight nearly 3 times higher than the control under 25% FC. Additionally, VF and/or AMF treatments enhanced the antioxidant defense mechanisms of durum wheat plants, reducing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content by 25% in VF and 29% in AMF treatments under DS, relative to the control. Furthermore, the combination positively affected soil properties, increasing its available phosphorus and total glomalin levels, respectively by 97 and 40% under drought stress. These findings offer valuable insights for promoting agricultural sustainability, providing a potential solution to enhance durum wheat production under water-limiting conditions.