Abstract

Salinity and heavy metal contamination represent major limitations to sustainable crop production in arid and semi-arid areas, particularly where irrigation relies on low-quality or industrial wastewater. Herein, we evaluated the potential of zeolite and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to mitigate salinity stress and cadmium (Cd) toxicity in wheat grown under saline soil conditions irrigated with Cd-contaminated wastewater. A split-split plot experiment was conducted with two field capacity (FC) levels (50 and 75%), two AMF treatments (with and without inoculation), and three zeolite application rates (0, 1.2, and 2.4 t ha-1). The integrated application of zeolite and AMF under higher soil moisture significantly improved soil physicochemical properties by reducing pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and exchangeable sodium, while enhancing microbial biomass, enzymatic activities, soil organic matter, and cation exchange capacity. Soil structural quality was noticeably improved, as evidenced by reduced bulk density and augmented porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Notably, zeolite and AMF substantially reduced Cd residues in soil post-harvest and wheat tissues as well, resulting in a pronounced decrease in grain Cd residues. These soil-level improvements were reflected in enhanced plant physiological performance, including improved Na+/K+ homeostasis, water relations, photosynthetic capacity, and redox homeostasis. Consequently, grain yield and yield components were significantly increased under the combined treatment. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that zeolite-AMF integration under optimized soil moisture establishes an effective, eco-friendly strategy for remediation of saline and Cd-contaminated soils while maintaining crop productivity.