Response of Cassava and Soyabean grown sole and intercrop to inoculation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus [AMF] in Abeoluta, South Western Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the soil amendment potential of indigenous AMF for production of cassava [ TMS 30572] and soyabean [TGx 1448-2E] grown sole or intercropped. A survey to identify the most prominent indigenous AMF species was conducted in Abeokuta, Nigeria 2000. The AMF species were identified using standard procedures. The two identifield AMF-A and AMF-B species and their combination [AMFA+B in ratio 1;1] were bioassay on sole cassava and sole soyebean and their intercrop at 100g inoculums per 10kg soil in the green house to determined growth and yield parameters. Experriment was laid out in a complete randomized design with three replicates. Growth and yield parameters taken were plant height [PH], leaf area [LA], number of leaves [NL], dry matter of leaf [DML], stem [DMS] and root [DMR], number of pod[NP], number of tuber [NT] were measured. All data were analysed using ANOVA. The two most prominent AMF species were G. Mosseae and G etunicatum. In the greenhouse, AMF [A=B] significantly [P<0.05] increased DL [33%], DS [28%] and DR [31%] NP [26%], NS [28%] and 100-SD [25%] on soyabean [TGx 1448-2E] while on cassava [TMS 30572], LA [58.32cm²] SD [2.1cm] and FTW [802.2 g/plant] were significantly [p<0.05] improved Application of AMF; Glomus etunicatum and Glomus mossae to soil has potential to increase production of soyabean [24.5%] and cassava[33%].