Evaluation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi isolated from the rhizosphere of two wild plants inoculated in Zea mays and Phaseolus vulgaris, crops of economic importance
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] establish mutualistic symbioses with plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water uptake in exchange for carbohydrates, which boosts plant growth, stress resistance, and ecosystem health. This study focused on developing a biological inoculant from native AMF of a dry...
| Autores: | , , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | Ecuador |
| Institución: | Universidad Central del Ecuador |
| Repositorio: | Revista Siembra |
| Idioma: | español inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:revistadigital.uce.edu.ec:article/7691 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://revistadigital.uce.edu.ec/index.php/SIEMBRA/article/view/7691 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | biofertilizante bioprospección colonización micorrízica esporas simbiosis biofertilizer bioprospecting mycorrhizal colonization spores symbiosis |
| Sumario: | Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] establish mutualistic symbioses with plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water uptake in exchange for carbohydrates, which boosts plant growth, stress resistance, and ecosystem health. This study focused on developing a biological inoculant from native AMF of a dry forest, utilizing Rhynchosia minima and Cenchrus echinatus as trap plants for their collection. The methodology involved the identification of arbuscular mycorrhizae from the rhizospheric soil of each plant species, where root and soil samples were collected, followed by the preparation of the inoculum with antibiotics (gentamicin and streptomycin). Inoculation was performed by direct application of the inoculum to the roots of maize (Zea mays) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants in a randomized block design with three treatments (T1 = control without mycorrhizal inoculum; T2 = mycorrhizae + antibiotic; T3 = mycorrhizal inoculum only) and six replicates; the sterilized substrate consisted of a 1:1 ratio of peat and sand. Plant growth and mycorrhizal colonization were evaluated and compared using Student's t-test. The results revealed a mycorrhizal colonization exceeding 50% and a spore abundance (101–132 spores g⁻¹ of soil) in the trap plants, with a predominance of the genera Acaulospora, Glomus, Gigaspora, and Scutellospora. Inoculation with these native AMF increased colonization in maize (32%) and beans (37%) compared to the non-inoculated controls of each species, demonstrating the effectiveness of the developed inoculant. In conclusion, the use of native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi represents an effective strategy to improve the growth of important crops such as maize and beans, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices. |
|---|