Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Combined with Mineral Fertilizer Improved the Growth and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivated in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

Marie Solange Mandou^1, , Nelson Ralph Anthony Biolo Modo², Asafor Henry Chotangui¹, Souleymanou Adamou^{1, 3}, Mfangam Mfonte Raimatou¹, Julien Kevin Kedi A Fisseng², Swirri Christabel Shu Waa¹ and Eric Bertrand Kouam¹

¹Genetics, Biotechnology, Agriculture and Plant Physiology Research Unit, Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, P.O. Box-222, Dschang Cameroon

²Institute of Agricultural Research for Development of Bagangté, Bagangté, Cameroon

³Regional Centre for Specialized Education in Agriculture, Forest and Wood, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

Cite this paper:
Marie Solange Mandou, Nelson Ralph Anthony Biolo Modo, Asafor Henry Chotangui, Souleymanou Adamou, Mfangam Mfonte Raimatou, Julien Kevin Kedi A Fisseng, Swirri Christabel Shu Waa and Eric Bertrand Kouam. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Combined with Mineral Fertilizer Improved the Growth and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Cultivated in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2023; 11(1):22-29. doi: 10.12691/wjar-11-1-4

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are beneficial for plant growth and development by facilitating the absorption of water and minerals from the soil. Symbiotic relationship between AMF fungi and plant roots is of paramount importance and could reduce crop production dependence on fertilizers. Nutrient deficiency in the soils of the western highlands of Cameroon especially N and P is a limiting factor to grain-filling in cereals. This study sought to investigate the effect of AMF combined with different levels of mineral fertilizer on the growth, root colonization and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum). The experiment was conducted in a complete randomized block design arranged in split-plots using two varieties (Irad 1and Irad 2) and five treatments: control, F100%, AMF, AMF+F50% and AMF+F25% repeated three times. Results showed that all traits were significantly affected by treatments, except the plant height and spike length. Sole AMF treatment or in combination with low level fertilization (AMF+F25%) indicated better results for dry aboveground biomass, intensity of root colonization and yield. Contrarily, increased fertilization levels (F100% and AMF+F50%) reduced biomass, intensity of colonization and yield. No significant difference was observed between AMF and AMF+F25% treatments as well as between the two wheat varieties. These results suggest that wheat inoculation with AMF can reduce or simply replace the use of mineral fertilizer in wheat production in the western highlands of Cameroon.

Keywords:
AMF Mineral fertilizer root colonization growth and yield wheat

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