Zinc (Zn) deficiency is well-documented public health issue and a significant factor hampering to cropproduction. There is a close overlap between soil deficiency and human deficiency of Zn, indicating aneed for increasing Zn content in crops and vegetables. In this study, the effects of endophytic fungusPiriformospora indica and Zn treatment on growth parameters, chlorophyll amounts, and Zn and someother micronutrient concentrations in Lactuca sativa cv. Siyahoo plants were investigated. The experimentwas carried out including two treatments (P. indica inoculation and non-inoculation), each having fourZn concentrations (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/l Zn added to full-strength Hoagland solution) in a sand culturesubstrate. By increasing Zn concentration in sand substrate, growth parameters, chlorophyll content andleaf Zn concentration were significantly increased from 34.1 to 185.1 g/g DW, whereas leaf iron (Fe)concentration was decreased. Significant increase in various parameters including growth, chlorophyllcontent and leaf Zn concentrations (7.6 fold) were observed in plants inoculated with P. indica undersupplemented concentration of 10 mg/l Zn. Results from this study indicate that P. indica inoculationwith Zn supplementation can help in Zn enrichment in lettuce plants.
