Acaulospora longula Spain & N.C. Schenck: A low-cost bioinsumption to optimize phenolics and saponins production in Passiflora alata Curtis

•Acaulospora longula increases saponins production in Passiflora alata Curtis.•Passiflora alata concentrates more secondary compounds due to mycorrhization.•Acaulospora longula inoculation enhanced the phenols concentration in Passiflora alata.•The clustering algorithms re-affirms the mycorrhization efficiency. The arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation is an alternative to regulate the synthesis of plant biomolecules, such as the flavonoids and saponins, which confer therapeutic properties in Passiflora. With such benefits, Passiflora alata can have its phytomass improved, increasing the interest of sedative herbal medicine industries. Thus, this study aimed to select the most efficient AMF on increasing the phenolic compounds and saponins production in P. alata. In foliar ethanolic extracts, the production of saponins and total phenols were increased by 137.93 % and 110.75 %, respectively, in seedlings associated with A. longula in comparison to non-inoculated plants. In this same treatment, we verified an increment of 219.96 % in the total soluble carbohydrates, in addition to an increase in the leaf area (589.20 %) and stem diameter (13.92 %), in comparison to non-mycorrhizal plants. The foliar phenols production and the plant growth were also benefited in plants inoculated with G. albida, nonetheless, at lower increments. On the other hand, the production of proteins, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and the antioxidant activity was not favored by AMF inoculation. Therefore, A. longula is the most efficient AMF to obtain greater metabolites concentration of medicinal interest in sweet passion fruit phytomass.