Effects of mycorrhizal fungi and bamboo biochar on the rhizosphere bacterial population and nutrient uptake of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings
Issue Date
4-2019
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and biochar applications have been found to enhance the
nutrient cycling and agricultural crop production. This greenhouse study investigated the
effects of AMF inoculation and biochar amendment at different level on the soil bacterial
population, mycorrhizal root infection and nutrient uptake of cacao seedlings. Germinated two week old cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings were either uninoculated or inoculated with AMF during transfer from seed germination boxes into individual polybags filled with acidic red soil amended with increasing (3.75%, 7.5% and 15%) level of bamboo biochar (BB). After 15 months, AMF inoculation improved the N and P uptake of cacao seedlings by 65% and 90% over the control, respectively. Highest (25 mg plant-1) N uptake of the seedlings was observed in AMF+15% BB. P uptake of cacao seedlings was also improved by 7.5% BB (1.56 mg plant-1), 15% BB (1.90 mg plant-1) and AMF + 15% BB (1.89 mg plant-1). Biochar levels improved the percentage root infection in mycorrhizal (+AMF) seedlings from 79% to 83%. The population of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) and phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) increased with biochar amendment, consistently at 15% level. Irrespective with biochar amendment, AMF only affected the PSB population. Moreover, PSB population has strong correlation with the P and N uptake of cacao seedlings while NFB population was significantly correlated only with P uptake. The bacterial population and nutrient uptake were not significantly correlated with the percentage mycorrhizal root infection. The significant effect of these treatments indicates a good effect in improving the growth performance of cacao seedlings.
Source or Periodical Title
Philippine Journal of Crop Science
ISSN
0115-463X
Volume
44
Issue
1
Page
1-9
Document Type
Article
College
College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)
Frequency
quarterly
Physical Description
illustrations; graphs; tables; references
Language
English
Subject
Cacao; Seedlings; Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Recommended Citation
Aggangan, Nelly S.; Cortes, Angelbert D.; Opulencia, Rina B.; Jomao-as, Joshua G.; and Yecyec, Romualdo P., "Effects of mycorrhizal fungi and bamboo biochar on the rhizosphere bacterial population and nutrient uptake of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings" (2019). Journal Article. 6503.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/journal-articles/6503
En – AGROVOC descriptors
THEOBROMA CACAO; NUTRIENT UPTAKE; NITROGEN FIXING BACTERIA; INOCULATION; VESICULAR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE; RHIZOSPHERE