Strigolactone (GR24) promotes arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and wheat root growth

GR24 enhances wheat performance by optimizing plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) interactions. Signaling molecules such as strigolactones (SLs) play essential regulatory roles in the rhizosphere by facilitating plant-soil communication and strengthening plant-microbe interactions. These molecules are crucial for promoting AMF colonization and the stable establishment of a symbiotic association, thereby supporting plant adaptation under stress conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of seed priming with the synthetic strigolactone analogue GR24 to enhance AMF colonization, nutrient uptake, and the morpho-physiological performance of wheat. A factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design under greenhouse conditions, with four GR24 concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, and 10 μM) and two AMF inoculation treatments (with and without AMF). Results showed that the addition of 5 μM GR24 combined with AMF significantly enhanced plant growth and physiological performance. Specifically, total dry weight (TDW), total chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and the uptake of N, K, Fe, and Zn increased by 41%, 31%, 50%, 42%, 42.88%, 39%, 69.69%, and 69.81%, respectively. In addition, application of 5 μM GR24 increased phosphorus (P) uptake by 19.42% compared with the control. These findings suggest that an appropriate concentration of GR24 enhances phosphorus uptake, while its combined application with AMF further improves nutrient acquisition, physiological performance, and overall plant growth in wheat.