Changes in some characters of soybean leaves inoculated with mycorrhiza in salinity stress

Increasing soybean production can be done by expanding the planting area on suboptimal land such as saline soils. Leaves which are an important part of plants where the photosynthesis takes place also experience disturbances due to salinity stress. Efforts can be made to overcome salinity stress, among others by planting salinity tolerant soybean genotypes and mycorrhiza inoculation. This study aims to analyse changes in leaf morphology characters in two soybean genotypes inoculated with mycorrhiza in salinity stress. The study used split-plot design with the main plot of soybean genotype (Grobogan variety and Grobogan soybeans selected for salinity tolerance) and subplots arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi isolates (control, Glomus sp. 1, Glomus sp. 2, Glomus sp. 3, Glomus sp. 4, Glomus sp. 5, and isolates the mixture of all isolates) in the experimental field of Paluh Merbau Village Deli Serdang with 1.5 m above sea level and salinity level of 5-6 dS/m in February-May 2013. The results showed the number of leaves, leaf area, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b were significantly affected by the interaction of soybean genotype and mycorrhizal inoculation. While the treatment of soybean genotypes and mycorrhizal inoculation showed significant differences in the number of stomata and thickness of cuticles.