Nurturing with nature: the efficacy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi microbe for cocoa sector environmental management

Muhammed, Hajara, Kaba, James S., Abunyewa, Akwasi A., Godswill, K. S. Kwashie, Appiah-Kubi, Zippora, Asare, Alberta Y., Agyei, Ernest K., Yamoah, Fred A., Issahaku, Ibrahim and Ntiamoah, Priscilla (2025) Nurturing with nature: the efficacy of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi microbe for cocoa sector environmental management. Journal of Plant Nutrition. pp. 1-17. ISSN 0190-4167

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Abstract

Despite the proven effectiveness of fertility-promoting microbes such as Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to minimize the adverse effects of environmental deterioration and climate change, there is limited understanding on its efficacy to improve cocoa resilience. Cocoa mortality (70%) caused by climate change induced drought within two years of transplanting to the field is a major constrain to farmers’ productivity. This study assessed the effect of AMF and Potassium (K) nutrition on the biochemical characteristics of cocoa and its field survival from 2019 to 2022. A split-plot factorial design was used. The treatments were cocoa varieties (CRG8914 × PA150 [V1], AMAZ15-15 × EQX78 [V2], PA150 × CRG 0314 [V3]), potassium (0 g, 2 g, 4 g plant−1), AMF (AMF, Non-AMF) and watering regimes (water-stressed and supplementary irrigation). Soil samples (0–20 cm) from cocoa rhizosphere were examined for native AMF spores and structures using the Wet Sieving and Decantation methodology and Sucrose Centrifugation. The AMF inoculum was prepared using the trap-culture technique. Under drought conditions, V1, V2 and V3 without K had leaf chlorophyll of 19.4 μmol/m2, 20.5 μmol/m2, 19.9 μmol/m2 respectively, but with 2 g KxAMF, chlorophyll increased to 21.6 μmol/m2, 26.4 μmol/m2, 26.8 μmol/m2 respectively. Phosphorus uptake and relative water content had similar pattern. Rhizophagus irregularis was morphologically identified as the AMF in soils under the cocoa trees. Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines predicted leaf chlorophyll and phosphorus uptake as the key factor influencing cocoa survival and resilience. Considering the threat of drought caused by climate change on cocoa production in West Africa, the results have implications for farmers livelihood, cocoa survival and the sustainability of cocoa soils.

Item Type:	Article
Depositing User:	RED Unit Admin
Date Deposited:	12 Feb 2025 13:35
Last Modified:	12 Feb 2025 13:35
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/19575

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