TITLE:
Evaluating Nutrient Removal and Use Efficiency in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) through Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculation and Fertilizer Microdosing in Sahelian Sandy Soils
AUTHORS:
Malick Ndiaye, Alain Mollier, Abdoulaye Fofana Fall, Tahir Abdoulaye Diop
KEYWORDS:
Sustainable Fertilization, Nutrient Use Efficiency, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, Organic Amendment, Microdosing Strategy, Sahelian Agroecosystems
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.16 No.12,
December
25,
2025
ABSTRACT: Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), a staple cereal in the Sahel, faces severe yield limitations due to sandy, nutrient-poor soils and erratic rainfall. Sustainable fertilization strategies that enhance nutrient use efficiency are urgently needed. This study evaluated the combined effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation and fertilizer microdosing on nutrient removal and agronomic efficiency in pearl millet grown in Sahelian sandy soil. A greenhouse experiment with nine treatments combining NPK, urea, cow manure, and AMF was conducted using soil pots arranged in a completely randomized design with five replicates. Nutrient removal (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni) and shoot dry biomass were measured after 12 weeks, and agronomic efficiency (AE) was calculated for N, P, and K. Treatments significantly affected nutrient removal (p