Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Chemical Fertilizer on Growth and shoot nutrients content of Onion under Field Condition in Northern Sudan Savanna of Nigeria
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Field experiment was conducted to determine if arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) could reduce the excessive amount of chemical fertilizer used in cultivation of onion.Inoculated and un-inoculated onion plant were grown with varying levels of N and P fertilizer (00-00, 40-20, 60-30, 80-40, 100-50 and 120-60 kg ha -1 N and P respectively), K was constant at 50 kg ha -1 laid out in randomized complete block design with 3 replications.Mycorrhizal colonization (%), plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, fresh and dry shoot biomass (g), and N, P, and K concentrations in plant were determined.The results showed no significant difference in plant height and number of leaves per plant between inoculated and un-inoculated plants at 4 weeks after transplant (WAT) for all treatments.Significant (P < 0.05) differences in plant growth response were observed among treatments at 8 WAT.Plant growth characteristics and nutrients concentration in plant tissue of un-inoculated plants increases with increase in N and P fertilizer application.Inoculated plants with 60-30-50 kg ha -1 NPK produced plants with highest growth parameters (38.63 cm, 13.66, 27.80g and 3.74 g) for plant height, number of leaves, fresh shoot and dry biomass respectively as compared to un-inoculated plants with high dosages (120-60-50 kg ha -1 NPK) of fertilizer.Reduction in plant growth response and nutrients concentration of inoculated plants were observed with increase in fertilizer application from, 80-40, 100-50 and 120-60 kg ha -1 N and P. Root colonization by AMF occurred in all treatments including uninoculated plants.Colonization potential of AMF decreases with increase in fertilizer application.Root colonization level of Un-inoculated plants ranges from 11.2% in control plants to 2.4% in plants treated with 120-60-50 kg ha -1 NPK.Applying fertilizer at 60-30-50 kg ha -1 NPK recorded the highest colonization level (39.7%) followed by (31.9%) in plants treated with (40-20-50 kg ha -1 NPK) and values were statistically different compared to all treatments.Mycorrhizal inoculation influenced early growth and concentrations of N, P and K at 60-30-50 kg ha -1 NPK fertilizer application rate.From this study, it can be concluded that using AMF could reduced the amount of excessive chemical fertilizer needed to produce onion.
DOI: 10.9790/2380-0358590
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4232937368