Soil management practices affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi propagules, root colonization and growth of rainfed maize
Loading...
Date
2018-06
Authors
Nyamwange, Methuselah Mang’erere
Njeru, Ezekiel Mugendi
Mucheru-Muna, Monicah
Ngetich, Felix
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AIMS Press
Abstract
Agronomic management practices influence beneficial soil biota, especially arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF colonizes about eighty percent of land plants, promoting absorption
of essential nutrients and crop growth. Here, a 5-year field experiment was carried out in Central
Kenyan Highlands to determine the effect of tillage, mulching and inorganic fertilizers on the
number of infective AMF propagules in the soil, mycorrhizal root colonization of maize and uptake
of P and N from the soil. The study involved conventional and minimum tillage systems, mulching
using dried maize stovers and inorganic fertilizers (120 kg N/ha). The experiment was set up in
randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The number of infective AMF propagules
decreased in the following order; V4 stage (p < 0.0001), V6 stage (p < 0.0001), maize harvest (p =
0.0076) and before maize planting (p = 0.0061). Minimum tillage + mulch + no NP fertilizer (ZRO)
treatment recorded the highest number of infective AMF propagules with an average of 90
propagules g-1 of soil whereas conventional tillage + mulch + NP fertilizer (CRF) and conventional
tillage + no mulch + NP fertilizer (CWF) treatments recorded the lowest number of AMF propagules
with an average of 1.33 propagules g-1 of soil. Besides, AMF colonization of maize roots at V4, V6
and harvest stages was significantly affected by tillage (p < 0.0001), mulch (p = 0.0001) and
fertilizer (p < 0.0001). Results at juvenile stage showed a strong positive correlation between AMF
colonization and shoot P (r = 0.933, p < 0.0001) and N (r = 0.928, p < 0.0001). These findings
demonstrate a strong effect of agronomic management practices on soil AMF propagules which
subsequently affected root colonization and uptake of essential nutrients such as P and N.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Root colonization, Soil management practices, P uptake, Maize
Citation
AIMS Agriculture and Food, 3 (2): 120–134; 2018