Arbuscular mycorrhizal Fungi: Diversity and Colonization in Leguminous and Non-Leguminous Crops

The soil that surrounds plant roots (the rhizosphere), is essential for microbial colonization such as mycorrhizae which is vital for plant development and nutrient uptake, and also alter how plants interact with other soil creatures. The Arbuscular mycorrhizae Fungi (AMF) is one of the division of mycorrhizae and this study investigated their diversity and colonization of the rhizosphere of both leguminous and non-leguminous plant. The study was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RBCD) with 15 plots consisting of five treatments and 3 replicates, AMF spores were extracted from the rhizosphere and subjected to morphological characterization, AMF identification and colonization were carried out, analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P ≤ 0.005 was performed on the data obtained, and least significant difference (LSD) at 5% was used to separate the mean. Results of the study revealed the presence of Acaulospora, Funneliformis, Gigaspora, Glomus, and Rhizophagus, and significant variations in the population of Acaulospora under leguminous crops (Cowpea = 96.0c and Groundnut = 228.3a) and none-leguminous crops (Cucumber = 135.0bc and Melon = 154.3bc), and Glomus under leguminous crops (Cowpea = 42.3abc and Groundnut = 62.3ab) and none-leguminous crops (Cucumber = 26.0c and Melon = 37.0bc). Groundnut had the highest spore count (455a), and root colonization frequency reached the maximum value of 39.7% for groundnut in all the plots invested. The diversity of AMF and abundance of AMF spores vary depending on plants species; highlighting the need of integrating legumes into different cropping systems to improve crop yield.