Evaluation of the Effect of Funneliformis mosseae Inoculation on Agronomic Parameters of Maize (Zea mays L.) under a Substrate Subjected to Gold Mining
Latifou Tchassanti *
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Crop Protection (CEProDuC), Laboratory of Agronomic Sciences and Applied Biology (LaSABA), University of Kara, Togo.
Atti Tchabi
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Crop Protection (CEProDuC), Laboratory of Agronomic Sciences and Applied Biology (LaSABA), University of Kara, Togo.
Nazer Famah Sourassou
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Crop Protection (CEProDuC), Laboratory of Agronomic Sciences and Applied Biology (LaSABA), University of Kara, Togo.
Etienne Blaise M’Boumba
Agroresources and Environmental Health Research Laboratory (LARASE), Higher School of Agronomy, University of Lomé. PO Box: 1515, Lomé-Togo.
Pana Kadanga
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Crop Protection (CEProDuC), Laboratory of Agronomic Sciences and Applied Biology (LaSABA), University of Kara, Togo.
Emmanuel Kombieni
Center of Excellence in Sustainable Crop Protection (CEProDuC), Laboratory of Agronomic Sciences and Applied Biology (LaSABA), University of Kara, Togo.
Komlan Batawila
Department of Botany and Plant Ecology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lomé, PO Box 1515, Lomé, Togo.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: Evaluate, in a greenhouse, the effect of the AMF, Funneliformis mosseae, on the agronomic performance of maize grown on soil degraded by gold mining.
Study Design: Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six replications.
Place and Duration of Study: University of Lomé, between September 2022 and January 2023.
Methodology: The experiment utilized four treatment levels - pure mineral fertilizers (To), pure AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) (T1), the combination of AMF and mineral fertilizers (T2) and a control (Co) – employing a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six replications. A pot of 5 liters capacity having received 5 kg of soil substrat (washed gold-bearing soil or soil taken under natural vegetation) composed the experimental unit. The experimental data were collected and analyzed.
Results: gold-bearing soils are sandy and poor in organic and mineral compounds compared to soils under natural vegetation. The mycorrhization parameters do not take soil type into account. On average, 73.62 % of plants in simple inoculation were mycorrhized where as 33.43 % of plants were mycorrhized in inoculation with a synthetic fertilizer (NPK+Urea) at 60 days after sowing. The respective mycorrhization intensities corresponding to these mycorrhization rates are 41.43 and 45.67 % for the same period. The inoculation with AMF affect positively the growth, development and the productivity of maize compared to the control.
Conclusion: Results suggest that Funneliformis mosseae can be used as a biofertilizer on gold mining soils in Togo for sustainable maize production.
Keywords: Gold mining, degraded soil, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, maize, Togo