Record ID No. |
4674 |
Author(s) |
Mengsteab Hailemariam, Emiru Birhane, Zebene Asfaw, Solomon Zewdie , 2013 |
Affiliation |
Department of Land Resources Management and Environmental Protection, Mekelle University, PO Box 231, Mekelle, Ethiopia, Email: emibir@yahoo.com |
Title |
Arbuscular mycorrhizal association of indigenous agroforestry tree species and their infective potential with maize in the rift valley, Ethiopia |
Source. Vol.(no):Page |
Agroforestry Systems 87(6): 1261-1272p. |
Categories |
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza |
Subjects |
Soil plant relations |
Sub-subjects |
Plantations |
Host |
Albizia gummifera, Croton macrostachyus, Zea mays |
Organism |
Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) |
Country |
Ethiopia, East Africa |
Abstracts |
Tree species in agroforestry are important source of inoculum for companion agricultural crops. Agroforestry trees can serve as a source of Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) inoculants to intercropped annuals. We studied spore abundance, root colonization of Albizia gummifera (J.F. Gmel.) and Croton macrostachyus (Hochst Ex Del.) trees and their effect on colonization of maize. Soil and root samples were collected from field standing trees from under and outside the canopy of trees and maize crops in the main rainy season. The number of spore count was significantly higher under the canopy of A. gummifera (791/100 g of dry soil) and C. macrostachyus (877/100 g of dry soil) trees than outside the canopy (547 and 588/100 g of dry soil, respectively). The level of root colonization of C. macrostachyus (45 %) was higher than A. gummifera (41 %). Root colonization of maize crops grown under the canopy of A. gummifera and C. macrostachyus trees was significantly higher than outside the canopy (P < 0.001). Maize seedlings grown on non-sterilized soils collected under and outside the canopy of A. gummifera and C. macrostachyus trees recorded higher root colonization, plant height, shoot and root dry weight than grown on sterilized soils (P < 0.001). The percentage of AM colonized roots of Zea mays seedlings was significantly positively correlated with the number of spore counts for field soils. The rhizospheres of indigenous agroforestry perennial species are important source of inoculum for annuals. The integration of perennials and annuals in an agroforestry system enhances the maintenance of soil quality in the tropics. |