In order to investigate the effects of Glomus species on some physiological characteristics of two chickpea types (Pirouz cultivar of Desi type and ILC-482 of Kabuli type) under non-stress (NS) and drought stress, an experiment was conducted using a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with three replications. Drought stress decreased shoot and total dry weight in plants. However inoculation of plants with mycorrhiza improved these traits. Leaf chlorophyll content was decreased, but leaf proline content and guaiacol peroxidases (EC 1.11.1.7) (POD), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11) (APX) activities were increased as a result of drought stress. Drought stress had no significant effect on soluble protein content and polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.1) (PPO) enzymatic activity in chickpea plants. In general, drought stress and especially severe drought stress increased membrane lipid peroxidation (MDA) in chickpea plants, which was more evident in non-inoculated than in inoculated plants. Inoculation of chickpea by AM significantly increased POD and PPO activities compared with non-inoculated chickpea, but had no effect on CAT activity and proline content of leaves. The reaction of chickpea cultivars to inoculation by AM species and irrigation levels were different. ILC-482 showed that antioxidant enzymes activities were more and thus less MDA compared with Pirouz cultivar. In general, the most POD and PPO activities were recorded for inoculated plants with G. etunicatum and G. versiform species, and the most APX activity was observed in plants inoculated with G. intraradices.
