Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation Influences Growth, Nutrient Absorption and Hyphae Colonization of Rough Lemon (Citrus limon) Seedlings

Abstract

Many researchers continue to illustrate the benefits of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza fungi on crop output, particularly under unfavourable growth environment. In Sub–saharan Africa, mycorrhizae research on economically important fruit seedlings have attracted inadequate attention. This study was carried out to ascertain the effect of Vesicular Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi on growth, nutrient absorption and hyphal colonization of rough lemon (Citrus limon) seedlings raised under low phosphorus levels in sand culture and also in low nutrient sand/soil planting media. The study found out that lemon seedling height, number of leaves, leaf area and stem thickness were increased by VAM inoculation in relation to non-inoculated seedlings raised under corresponding P levels in sandy media and also under low sand/soil media. The fresh and dry weights of roots, leaves and stems, and the leaf concentration of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium were also increased by VAM inoculation. Inoculation also enhanced mycorrhizae hyphal colonization of roots and upraised the root absorptive surface area. This study demonstrates that VAM inoculation improves the competence of lemon seedlings to uptake and use scarce soil nutrients thereby enhancing seedling performance. Being a cheap and readily available technology, VAM incorporation is recommended in nursery propagation of seedlings to ensure a good start of clean and healthy fruit seedlings