Cabai rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.) merupakan salah satu komoditas sayuran semusim utama di Indonesia. Budidaya tanaman cabai rawit sering mengalami gagal panen akibat kekeringan. Jamur mikoriza arbuskular (JMA) seperti Funneliformis mosseae merupakan mikroorganisme yang mampu melakukan simbiosis dengan akar tanaman untuk menginduksi ketahanan terhadap cekaman kekeringan. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh inokulasi F. mosseae terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman cabai rawit pada cekaman kekeringan berulang melalui induksi respons morfologis dan fisiologis. Tanaman cabai rawit diberikan tiga derajat kekeringan dalam dua siklus dengan satu kali pemulihan penyiraman di antara siklus kekeringan. Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap parameter agronomi, fisiologis, biokimia, dan mikroorganisme. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa inokulasi F. mosseae memberikan pengaruh nyata terhadap tinggi tanaman, berat basah tajuk dan akar, serta berat kering tajuk dan akar. Perlakuan inokulasi F. mosseae berpengaruh nyata terhadap respons fisiologis tanaman saat tercekam kekeringan melalui peningkatan kandungan air nisbi daun dan penurunan kadar prolin serta peroksidasi lipid. Kolonisasi mikoriza dan jumlah spora mikoriza arbuskular mengalami penurunan akibat kekeringan. Penambahan F. mosseae meningkatkan aktivitas total mikroba dan kadar glomalin-related-soil protein, tetapi berkorelasi negatif dengan kelimpahan mikroorganisme pelarut fosfat. Pemberian F. mosseae dalam cekaman kekeringan tidak berpengaruh nyata terhadap panjang akar, kadar klorofil tanaman, dan kelimpahan mikroorganisme penambat nitrogen. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa F. mosseae memberikan pengaruh positif terhadap pertumbuhan C. frutescens L. pada cekaman kekeringan berulang melalui induksi respons morfologis dan fisiologis.

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Chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) is one of the main seasonal vegetable commodity in Indonesia. However, chili pepper cultivation failure often occurs due to drought exposure. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) such as Funneliformis mosseae is one of the microorganisms that are capable of forming symbiotic association with plant root to induce defense against drought stress. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of F. mosseae inoculation on growth of chili pepper growth under repeated drought stress through induced morphological and physiological responses. Chili pepper plants were exposed to three drought regimes for two cycles with one rewatering event between the cycles. Observed parameters including plant agronomic variables, physiological variables, biochemical variables, and microorganism parameters. The results showed significant effects of F. mosseae inoculation on chili pepper plant height, fresh and dry shoot weight, along with fresh and dry root weight under repeated drought stress. The F. mosseae treatment also gave significant effects on plant physiological response through increased water relative content and decreased proline and lipid peroxidation. AMF colonization and spore number decreased due to drought exposure. Funneliformis mosseae augmentation increased microbial total activity and glomalin-related soil protein, but was negatively corellated with phosphate solubilizing microorganisms abundance. Funneliformis mosseae inoculation did not show significant difference on root length, chlorophyll content, and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms abundance. The results suggested that Funneliformis mosseae give positive effects on C. frutescens L. growth under repeated drought stress through induced morphological and physiological responses.