Combined Effects of Indigenous Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and NPK Fertilizer on Growth and Yields of Maize and Soil Nutrient Availability

Abdoulaye Fofana Fall (), Grace Nakabonge, Joseph Ssekandi, Hassna Founoune-Mboup, Arfang Badji, Abibatou Ndiaye, Malick Ndiaye, Paul Kyakuwa, Otim Godfrey Anyoni, Clovis Kabaseke, Amos Kipkemoi Ronoh and Joseph Ekwangu
Additional contact information
Abdoulaye Fofana Fall: African Center of Excellence in Agroecology and Livelihood Systems, Faculty of Agriculture, Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala P.O. Box 5498, Uganda
Grace Nakabonge: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 3120, Uganda
Joseph Ssekandi: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Kabale University, Kabale P.O. Box 317, Uganda
Hassna Founoune-Mboup: ISRA_LNRPV, Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, Laboratoire National de Recherches sur les Productions Végétales (LNRPV), Route des hydrocarbures Bel-Air, Dakar P.O. Box 3120, Senegal
Arfang Badji: Department of Agricultural Production, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 7072, Uganda
Abibatou Ndiaye: Department of Plant Biology, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), Dakar Fann P.O. Box 16180, Senegal
Malick Ndiaye: Department of Plant Biology, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), Dakar Fann P.O. Box 16180, Senegal
Paul Kyakuwa: African Center of Excellence in Agroecology and Livelihood Systems, Faculty of Agriculture, Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala P.O. Box 5498, Uganda
Otim Godfrey Anyoni: School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Mountains of the Moon University, Fort Portal P.O. Box 837, Uganda
Clovis Kabaseke: National Agricultural Research Organization, Entebbe P.O. Box 295, Uganda
Amos Kipkemoi Ronoh: Institute of Food Bioresources Technology, Dedan Kemathi University of Technology, Nyeri 10143, Kenya
Joseph Ekwangu: African Center of Excellence in Agroecology and Livelihood Systems, Faculty of Agriculture, Uganda Martyrs University, Kampala P.O. Box 5498, Uganda

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: The excessive application of mineral fertilizers in maize cultivation leads to progressive soil contamination in the long term and increases the cost of production. An alternative to reduce over-fertilization is to perform a partial replacement with microbes that promote nutrition and growth, such as Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). A pot experiment which was followed by two field experiments was performed with and without the application of indigenous AMF in combination with five nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium (NPK) fertilization rates (100% NPK = N120P60K60; 75% NPK = N90P45K45; 50% NPK = N60P30K30; 25% NPK = N30P15K15; control = N0P0K0). The objective was to investigate whether the soil application of indigenous mycorrhizal fungi inoculum combined with NPK fertilization can provide higher maize yields and soil-available N, P, and K than chemical fertilization can alone. The greenhouse results showed that the application of AMF with a 50% NPK treatment significantly increased the plant’s growth, root colonization, leaf chlorophyll content, and N, P, and K tissue content. The results from the field conditions showed that there was a highly significant yield after the treatment with AMF + 50% NPK. The study also revealed that mycorrhizal fungi inoculation increased the available soil N and P concentrations when it was combined with a 50% NPK dose. This suggests that the inoculation of fields with AM fungi can reduce the chemical fertilizer application by half, while improving soil chemistry. The results suggested that AMF inoculation can be used in integrated soil fertility management strategies.

Keywords: biofertilizer; inorganic fertilizer; mycorrhizal inoculant; plant nutrition; soil health; soil microorganisms; soil nutrients; sustainable agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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