Author(s)

Corentin Akpodé¹, Sylvestre Abado Assogba¹, Sêmassa Mohamed Ismaël Hoteyi², Mèvognon Ricardos Aguégué¹, Nadège Adoukè Agbodjato^1,3, Marcel Yévèdo Adoko¹, Olaréwadjou Amogou¹, Adolphe Adjanohoun⁴, Lamine Baba-Moussa^1*

¹Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin, Cotonou, Benin.
¹Laboratoire de Biologie et de Typage Moléculaire en Microbiologie, Département de Biochimie et de Biologie Cellulaire, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin.
²Centre Béninois de la Recherche Scientifique de l’Innovation (CBSRI), Cotonou, Bénin.
³Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa.
⁴Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin, Cotonou, Benin.

Excessive use of mineral fertilizers in maize farming negatively affects farmers’ income and impacts long-term soil health. This study aims to appreciate the effectiveness of biostimulant based on native Glomeraceae arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the production and uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium of maize (Zea mays L.) plants in central Benin. The trials were set up in a farming environment with thirty-four producers. The experimental design was composed of three treatments installed at 34 producers. Three growth parameters were evaluated on 60 ème days after sowing. Grain yield, nutritional status of maize plants and mycorrhization parameters were determined at harvest. The results showed that the Glomeraceae + 50% NPK (NPK: azote-phosphore-potassium)_Urea treatment improved the height, the crown diameter and the leaf area by 17.85%, 21.79% and 28.32% compared to the absolute control and by 0.41%, 1.11% and 1.46% compared to the 100% NPK_Urea treatment, respectively. Similarly, grain yield improved by 45.87% with the use of Glomeraceae + 50% NPK_Urea compared to the absolute control and by 3.96% compared to the 100% NPK_Urea treatment. The Glomeraceae + 50% NPK_Urea significantly improved the phosphorus and potassium uptake of maize plants. With respect to nitrogen uptake, no statistical difference was observed between treatments. The mycorrhizae strains used improved root infection in the maize plants. We recorded 66% frequency and 40.5% intensity of mycorrhization. The biostimulant based on indigenous Glomeraceae combined with 50% NPK_Urea can be used as a strategy to restore soil health and improve maize productivity in Benin.

Ecological Resilience, Microorganism, Plant Nutrition, Sustainable Agriculture, Zea mays L.

Akpodé, C. , Assogba, S. , Ismaël Hoteyi, S. , Aguégué, M. , Agbodjato, N. , Adoko, M. , Amogou, O. , Adjanohoun, A. and Baba-Moussa, L. (2023) Use of the Biostimulant Based on the Mycorrhizae Consortium of the Glomeraceae Family in the Field to Improve the Production and Nutritional Status of Maize (Zea mays L.) Plants in Central Benin. Advances in Microbiology, 13, 323-345. doi: 10.4236/aim.2023.136021.