Effect of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on tree seedling growth in semi-arid soils of Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Inoculation of trees and crops with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) leads to growth improvement through nutritional benefit, among others.  Thus, inoculation of Faidherbia albida and Balanites aegyptiaca seedlings with their rhizosphere AMF inocula or when cross inoculated with the other’s AMF in the semi-arid soils of Borno State, Nigeria, resulted in both trees benefiting more than when un-inoculated.  For instance, the 20 week old seedlings i8noculated with their own AMF recorded significantly (P<0.05) better growth in terms of heights (of 53.5cm and 48.8cm, as against the corresponding values of 37.0cm  and 33.5cm for the un-inoculated plants) of F. albida and B. aegyptiaca, respectively.  Again, shoot dry weights of 2.68g/plant and 2.82g/plant were obtained for the inoculated plants against 1.04g/plant and 1.27g/plant for the un-inoculated plants, respectively.  The shoot nutrient contents (N, P,K, Mg and Ca) of the trees under the influence of their own AMF were also higher than when un-inoculated or even when cross inoculated.  Root dry weights of inoculated plants were, however, lower than those of the un-inoculated plants or those inoculated with the other’s inoculum.  This result has, thus, demonstrated that semi-arid soils of Northeastern Nigeria do contain active AMF propagules in the rhizopheres which are effective in improving tree seedling growth, especially, in the nursery.