GENOTYPIC RESPONSE OF MAIZE TO MICRO AND MACRO NUTRIENTS AS INFLUENCED BY ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA FUNGI (GLOMUS FACULTATIVE) IN A RAINFOREST LOCATION

Abstract

Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi (AMF) has been reported to help plant access nutrients from the soil. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the response of maize genotypes to micro and macro-nutrients as influenced by Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi (AMF) and identify the best maize genotype under the best fertilizer treatment. Ten maize genotypes were evaluated under five different fertilizer treatments at the early and late cropping seasons of 2018 and 2019 respectively using split plot design in three replications. Data were collected on emergence counts, vegetative traits, yield and yield components and were subjected to analysis of variance and means were separated with Least Significant Difference at 0.05 level of probability. Application of NPK fertilizer alone significantly increased the yield of the evaluated maize genotypes by 83% from 0.31 t/ha (No Fertilizer) to 1.21 t/ha (NPK alone) while addition of agrolyser and AMF four weeks after planting did not increase the yield of the maize genotypes evaluated from the 2018 early season trial (0.78 t/ha). However, addition of AMF at planting in the fertilizer treatment (NPK + Agrolyser + Mycorrhiza) during the late season of 2019 increased the ear height of the ten maize genotypes resulting into 20% increase from 0.46 m to 0.54 m and thus, the best fertilizer treatment. The best variety with the highest ear height (0.64m) under NPK + Agrolyser + Mycorrhiza was variety EVDT-W-99STR-QPM. In conclusion, AMF was found to be effective in enhancing and increasing the nutrient uptake of the ten maize genotypes if applied at planting.