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<p><i>Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)</i> is a&#xa0;key fruit crop in tropical and semiarid regions, valued for its nutritional content and adaptability to low-input systems. However, salinity in irrigation water remains a&#xa0;major constraint, negatively affecting plant growth, physiology, and ion regulation. Beneficial microbes such as <i>Trichoderma asperelloides</i> have shown potential to enhance plant tolerance to salt stress. This study evaluated the effects of <i>T.&#xa0;asperelloides</i> inoculation on the growth, physiology, and ion homeostasis of <i>C.&#xa0;lanatus</i> under contrasting salinity conditions in a&#xa0;greenhouse setting. A&#xa0;factorial experiment was conducted with combinations of water salinity (0.4 and 4.5 dS/m) and fungal inoculation. Plant responses were assessed using morphological parameters (biomass, stem diameter, height, leaf number), physiological traits (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, carboxylation efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence), pigment content, and leaf Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations. Inoculated plants displayed improved growth and stress tolerance under high salinity, as evidenced by higher biomass, better photosynthetic performance, and lower Na⁺ accumulation. Multivariate analyses reinforced these findings: correlation analysis revealed strong negative associations between Na⁺ and physiological efficiency; PCA showed that inoculated plants under salinity grouped closer to non-stressed controls; and SEM confirmed that <i>T.&#xa0;asperelloides</i> indirectly improved biomass through physiological and biochemical regulation, particularly via the salinity tolerance index. These results demonstrate that <i>T.&#xa0;asperelloides</i> enhances salinity resilience in <i>C.&#xa0;lanatus</i> by coordinating morphophysiological and biochemical pathways. The findings support the use of microbial inoculants as a&#xa0;sustainable strategy for improving crop productivity in salt-affected semiarid environments.</p>

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Trichoderma asperelloides Enhances Watermelon Salinity Tolerance Via Integrated Morphophysiological and Biochemical Responses

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月23日

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  • Jean Carlos Nogueira,
  • Tancredo Souza,
  • Thiago Jardelino Dias,
  • Ramon Freire da Silva,
  • Walter Esfrain Pereira

摘要

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a key fruit crop in tropical and semiarid regions, valued for its nutritional content and adaptability to low-input systems. However, salinity in irrigation water remains a major constraint, negatively affecting plant growth, physiology, and ion regulation. Beneficial microbes such as Trichoderma asperelloides have shown potential to enhance plant tolerance to salt stress. This study evaluated the effects of T. asperelloides inoculation on the growth, physiology, and ion homeostasis of C. lanatus under contrasting salinity conditions in a greenhouse setting. A factorial experiment was conducted with combinations of water salinity (0.4 and 4.5 dS/m) and fungal inoculation. Plant responses were assessed using morphological parameters (biomass, stem diameter, height, leaf number), physiological traits (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, carboxylation efficiency, chlorophyll fluorescence), pigment content, and leaf Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations. Inoculated plants displayed improved growth and stress tolerance under high salinity, as evidenced by higher biomass, better photosynthetic performance, and lower Na⁺ accumulation. Multivariate analyses reinforced these findings: correlation analysis revealed strong negative associations between Na⁺ and physiological efficiency; PCA showed that inoculated plants under salinity grouped closer to non-stressed controls; and SEM confirmed that T. asperelloides indirectly improved biomass through physiological and biochemical regulation, particularly via the salinity tolerance index. These results demonstrate that T. asperelloides enhances salinity resilience in C. lanatus by coordinating morphophysiological and biochemical pathways. The findings support the use of microbial inoculants as a sustainable strategy for improving crop productivity in salt-affected semiarid environments.