TITLE:
Effects of Organic and Mineral Fertilization, and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on the Growth and Agronomic Performance of Two Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) Varieties in Bamendjou, Western Highlands of Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Celimene Tonfack-Metsakeu, Godswill Ntsomboh-Ntsefong, Victor Desire Taffouo, Thierry Constantin Dongmo, Hannah Ndele Pembe
KEYWORDS:
Taro, Compost, NPK, Mycorrhizae, Growth, Chlorophyll, Proline, Sustainable Agriculture
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.17 No.9,
September
21,
2026
ABSTRACT: Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) is an essential tuber crop contributing to food security and rural livelihoods in tropical regions, particularly in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. However, declining soil fertility severely restricts its agricultural productivity. This study evaluated the individual and synergistic effects of organic fertilization, mineral fertilization, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation on the growth, morphological, and physiological parameters of two local taro varieties: ACHU (var. esculenta) and IGBO (var. antiquorum), grown in Bamendjou. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) featuring a 2 × 7 × 3 factorial arrangement: Variety × Treatment × Period with three replications. Treatments comprised: T0 (Control without inputs), T1 (100% NPK 20:10:10), T2 (100% Compost: Tithonia diversifolia + poultry manure), T3 (100% Mycorrhizal Inoculum: Rhizophagus irregularis, R. hoi, Gigaspora margarita), T4 (50% Compost + 50% NPK), T5 (50% Compost + 50% Mycorrhizae), and T6 (50% NPK + 50% Mycorrhizae). Key parameters measured included plant height, collar diameter, leaf count, leaf area expansion, chlorophyll content, proline accumulation, flavonoids, and soluble sugars. The results demonstrated that soil fertility management practices significantly (p