Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in maize under different soil managements and seed treatment with fungicide

Author(s):

Murilo Castelli ¹, Regiane Cristina Urcoviche ¹, Régio Márcio Toesca Gimenes ², Odair Alberton ^{1, 2}*

Recieved Date: 2014-01-22, Accepted Date: 2014-04-10

Abstract:

Maize (Zea mays L.) is commercially very important and needs sustainable production systems. The no-till system (NT) offers several advantages in relation to the conventional tillage system (CT), reducing soil losses by erosion and increasing the soil organic matter. Moreover, different soil managements might affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community, which may change plant capacity to uptake of nutrients and water. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil management under nine-year NT and CT with or without fungicide application on seeds, and its effects on AMF community and maize productivity. The experiment was carried out in a field with eutrophic red Argisol (PVe - Ultisol) type and had random block with split-plots arrangement, with six replications. We evaluated density and diversity of AMF spores, AMF root colonization, maize dry mass and grain yield. The spore density and AMF root colonization were higher under NT without fungicide addition to the seeds. The most frequently found AMF genera were Glomus spp., Gigaspora spp. and Acaulospora spp. The NT increased Acaulospora spp., whereas CT increased Glomus spp. Plant dry mass and grain yield were higher under NT and this effect was more visible without fungicide addition to seeds. This corroborates the increase of AMF root colonization under NT without fungicide. It is concluded that NT without fungicide addition to maize seeds was the best cropping management, increasing AMF root colonization and maize productivity, and was the most appropriate and sustainable management of maize production.

Keywords:

Diversity, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, soil management, no-tillage, fungicide, sustainability

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2014
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 486-491

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