TITLE:
Efficacy of Mycorrhizae Based Manure on the Vegetative Growth of Rice Grown within Bauchi State, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Muhammad Auwal Ladan, Fatima Aliyu Deba, Muhammad Muhammad
KEYWORDS:
Biofertilizer, Mycorrhizae, Rice, Agriculture, Rhizosphere
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
April
25,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Rice is
one of the staple crops in the African continent for its ability to give
maximum yields which can help to achieve food security under the sustainable
development goals (SDGs); to those effects, the incessant use of inorganic
fertilizer has been employed which proved to have devastating effect in the
environment and the ecosystem at large. Therefore, the thirst for an
alternative method to ensure bumper production of rice cannot be overemphasized
so as to prevent soil alteration and environmental damage. Objective: This
study aimed at determining the efficacy of mycorrhizae-based manure on the
vegetative growth of rice as compared to inorganic fertilizer and its
sustainability. Methods: Soil samples were collected from seven (7)
locations (M1 - M7). Mycorrhiza were isolated from the soils and mass produced,
mixed with organic waste to form manure (biofertilizer) and were applied at
concentrations of 50 g, 100 g and 150 g to the potted rice in tree (3)
replicates. Growth parameters observed were plant height, girth diameter, leaf
broadness and leaf number. Results: The result revealed mycorrhizal
spore count ranging from 1.7 × 107 - to 4.1 × 107 across
the locations. The mycorrhizae-based manure gives the highest plant height of
45.33 cm as compared with the least plant height of 18.5 cm from the inorganic
fertilizer. Furthermore, the biofertilizer gives a positive influence on the
other parameters observed in comparison with the inorganic fertilizer.
Statistical analysis shows that, the means of all the parameters except for
leaf numbers were significantly different at p ≤ 0.05 across the sampling
locations. Conclusions: Mycorrhizae-based manure proves to be an effective
replacement of inorganic fertilizer that can boost rice production at a cheaper
cost.