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. 2019 Jun 26;14(6):e0218969.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218969. eCollection 2019.

Effect of co-application of phosphorus fertilizer and in vitro-produced mycorrhizal fungal inoculants on yield and leaf nutrient concentration of cassava

Ibrahim A Aliyu  1 , Ado A Yusuf  1 , Edward O Uyovbisere  1 , Cargele Masso  2 , Ian R Sanders  3
Affiliations

Effect of co-application of phosphorus fertilizer and in vitro-produced mycorrhizal fungal inoculants on yield and leaf nutrient concentration of cassava

Ibrahim A Aliyu et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

The adaptability of cassava to low fertile and marginal soils facilitates its production in subsistent agriculture. As a result, smallholder farmers rarely apply fertilizers. The current yield gap is therefore very large, calling for application of fertilizers and soil amendments to improve its productivity. Field experiments were carried out to assess the potential of partially substituting Phosphorus (P) fertilizers by in vitro-produced arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculants in cassava production in two agro-ecologies of Nigeria: Northern Guinea Savanna (Samaru) and Sudan Savanna (Minjibir). The experiments were laid out in a split plot design with P levels (0, 17.5, 35 and 52.5 kg P2O5 ha-1) as main plot and AMF inoculants (Control, Glomygel, Glomygel carrier, Mycodrip, Mycodrip carrier) as subplots. The results in Samaru showed that there was significant interaction between AMF and P in root fresh weight, total biomass and root to shoot ratio. The root fresh weights of the inoculated cassava increased proportionally with application of P. However, highest root fresh weight of cassava inoculated with Glomygel was observed at 35 kg P2O5 ha-1 recording 25% yield increase compared to 52.5 kg P2O5 ha-1 application. Interestingly, Cassava inoculated with Glomygel at 17.5 kg P2O5 ha-1 gave root fresh yield statistically similar to where 35 kg P2O5 ha-1 was applied. This represented a 50% reduction in P fertilizer use. Also, cassava inoculated with Glomygel increased leaf nutrient concentrations, which strongly correlated with the root fresh yield. However, no effects of inoculant carriers were observed in yield and nutrient concentrations. Contrarily, there was no significant treatment effect in Minjibir for nearly all the measured parameters. Cassava yield was however, higher in Minjibir than Samaru probably due to soil fertility and structural differences, which resulted in few observable effects of AMF and P treatments at Minjibir. We conclude that under low P conditions inoculation with in vitro produced AMF inoculants could be employed to reduce P fertilizer requirements for cassava and improve yields, but the variability of the responses as a result of soil heterogeneity and the identity of the fungal strain in the inoculant require further investigations before recommending the practice.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Effects of different levels of P fertilizer application and inoculation with AMF on cassava root fresh weight in Samaru.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Effects of different levels of P fertilizer application and inoculation with AMF on cassava root: Shoot ratio in Samaru.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Effects of different levels of P fertilizer application and inoculation with AMF on total cassava biomass in Samaru.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Main P treatment effects on leaf macronutrient concentrations in cassava.
(a) Mean leaf N concentration (b) Mean leaf P concentration and (c) Mean leaf K concentration at both trial sites (Samaru and Minjibir) averaged over all the inoculation levels for the four different P fertilizer levels.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Main inoculation treatment effects on leaf macronutrient concentrations in cassava.
(a) Mean leaf N concentration (b) Mean leaf P concentration and (c) Mean leaf K concentration at both trial sites ((Samaru and Minjibir) averaged over all P treatment- levels for the five inoculation levels.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Percentage of root length colonized by AMF in cassava at the Samaru trial site.
(a) Main P treatment effect; (b) main inoculation treatment effect.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Mean mycorrhizal response of cassava for the different inoculation levels at Samaru across the different P levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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