Organic Amendments with Plant-Growth-Promoting Fungi Support Paddy Cultivation in Sodic Soil

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Excessive sodium content in sodic soils is an important limiting factor for cultivation of agricultural crops. The present study was conducted to explore the influence of a novel organic amendment (SFOA) along with use of plant-growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) on soil properties and growth/yield of Oryza sativa L. The combined application of PGPF and SFOA increased total organic carbon (TOC) (0.62%) and decreased the exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (15.6%) of soil more significantly from 0.56% (TOC) and 30.1% (ESP), respectively compared to SFOA alone treatment. The combined application reduced soil bulk density, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) and improved soil enzymatic activities. A significant negative correlation was observed between grain yield with soil ESP and bulk density (r = –0.728, and –0.789, respectively). This study showed that the combined treatment of PGPF and SFOA could enhance the potential of organic amendments for alleviating salt stress in rice.