Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and organic composts in growth and nutrition of sisal nursery plants

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of two organic composts produced with sisal solid residue, animal manure, and rock dust (fine powdered mineral rock), combined or not with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on sisal plant growth and nutrition. The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with five replications in a factorial arrangement 2 x 2 +2, with two composts, two mycorrhizal fungi (Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Paraglomus occultum), a treatment without mycorrhizal inoculation and another without organic compost. Soil amendments with the compost prepared with10% animal manure + 10% rock dust + 80% sisal residue, and C. etunicatum plant inoculation, separately, promotedan increase of 46.6% and 26.4%, respectively, in plant height and of 304.9% and 51.1%, respectively in plant biomass production. Both organic composts stimulated root colonization by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi C.etunicatum, but did not affect its sporulation. There was no effect of the composts on sporulation and root colonization by P.occultum. Soil amendment with composts combined or not with mycorrhizal fungi inoculation promoted significant increases in the levels of nutrients in sisal nursery plants.