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Apr 30, 2022Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Impact of Land Use Types on Spore Abundance of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in the Humid Tropical Rainforest, Southeast Nigeria
Abstract
The study assessed spore populations of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in selected land use types (LUT) in Obehie, Asa area of Abia State, Southeast Nigeria. Soil samples were collected at 0 – 15cm depth from four LUT (cassava, vegetable, yam and fallow fields) using a soil auger. Soil properties and mycorrhizal spore populations were determined in the laboratory and the data analyzed. The result shows that, the soil pH of the fallow LUT was strongly acidic (pH = 5.4), while those of the cassava (pH = 5.7), vegetable (pH = 5.5) and yam (pH = 5.9) LUT were moderately acidic. Organic C was highest in the fallow field (15.25 g kg-1), whereas the highest contents of total N (1.19gkg-1) and available P (69.91mgkg-1) were recorded under the vegetable LUT. Concentrations of the exchangeable base cations occurred in the decreasing order thus: Ca > Mg > Na > K and generally highest in the vegetable farm compared to other LUTs. Spores of the AMF varied significantly (P < 0.05) across the LUT, being more abundant in the cassava LUT (237 spores 100g-1 soil) followed by the fallow (160 spores 100g-1 soil), yam (126 spores 100g-1 soil) and vegetable (112 spore 100g-1 soil). Spore abundance of AMF showed a significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation with organic carbon (r = 0.640*). Soils of cassava fields should therefore be considered as viable sources of soil-borne AMF inoculum in the studied area.
