Neem (Azadirachta indica a. juss) seedling growth as influenced by mycorrhizal fungus and cow dung

Abstract

The effect of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), specifically, Glomus moseae and cow dung on the growth of Neem (Azadiracchta indica, A. Juss) seedlings was investigated at the forestry quarters, Lagos Street, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. The study included three treatments: the cow dung, mycorrhizal treatments and the untreated controls. Standard size (30 x 15 x 15 cm) black polythene pots were used for the research. Two viable seeds obtained by the floatation method were sown in each pot and seedlings thinned to one per pot two weeks after germination. Each treatment was replicated ten times and arranged in a completely randomized design. Shoot heights, leaf and branch production were measured at bi-weekly intervals over a period of 10 weeks, while root lengths, shoot and root dry weights were determined at harvest (10
weeks). The result showed that cow dung significantly (p<0.05) improved plant growth over those inoculated with G. moseae and the control. On the other hand mycorrhiza significantly (p<0.05) improved seedling growth when compared to the controls. The use of mycorrhizal fungi could, therefore, be advocated as an alternative to cow dung, which is known to harbor weed seeds.

Keywords: Glomus moseae, Azadirachta indica, cow dung, Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi

Keywords: Glomus moseae, Azadirachta indica, cow dung, Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi