Assessment of the Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (Glomus clarum) and Pigeon Pea Hedgerow on the Yield of Maize and Soil Properties in Degraded Ultisols

Abstract

The use of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus clarum) in ecological restoration enables its host plant to be established in degraded soil. Two years field experiment was conducted at  Ekpoma, Nigeria to assessed the effects of Glomus clarum and pigeon pea hedgerow on soil properties, yield of maize and nitrogen fixation. A factorial experiment set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. Soil was analysed for both chemical and physical properties before planting and after harvest. The data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at p = 0.05. Mycorrhizal pigeon pea hedgerow significantly (p< 0.05) increased the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and calcium content of the soil.  Maize cultivated with the inclusion of mycorrhiza with or without pigeon pea hedgerow was higher in growth compared to non mycorrhizal maize. Inclusion of mycorrhiza to hedgerow significantly increased the grain yield of maize which was 2,040 kg / ha compared to control with an average yield of 1,406.8 kg/ha. The grain yield of mycorrhizal hedgerow was increased by 48 % compared to non-mycorrhizal pigeon pea. Inoculation of mycorrhiza to sole pigeon pea and maize had significant higher grain yield of 2,581.4 kg / ha and 2,349.2 kg / ha respectively in the residual experiment. The residual effect of Glomus clarum on maize and pigeon pea hedgerow significantly (p < 0.05) increased their grain yield by 41 % and 56 % respectively compared to the control. Also, inclusion of Glomus clarum significantly increased the nitrogen fixation of hedgerow pigeon pea compared to the hedgerow without Glomus clarum. The results showed the beneficial contribution of mycorrhiza and pigeon pea hedgerow on the growth and yield of maize as well as the  nutrient content of the soil.

Keywords: Glomus clarum, hedgerow, maize, soil properties, degraded soil