Inoculant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi compatibility test using sweet corn plants on peatlands

Abstract

Corn is a food ingredient that is widely consumed by Indonesian people. The purpose of this study is to determine the compatibility of AMF isolates from several host plants with the yield components of sweet corn on peatlands.  The field experiments were carried out with a randomized block design (RCBD) with 5 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments referred to are m0 (without AMF inoculation), m1 (AMF inoculum from the host Pueraria Javanica), m2 (AMF inoculum from the soybean plant host), m3 (AMF inoculum from the corn plant host) and m4 (AMF inoculum from the sorghum plant host). Observations were made on mycorrhizal infections, absorption of N, P, K nutrients, and plant yield components including weight per ear with weight, weight per ear without husk, ear length, ear diameter, and ear weight per plot. The data acquired from the observation were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (F test), while further tests were done with Duncan's multiple distance test (DMRT). The results showed that AMF inoculant derived from maize rhizosphere is most compatible with corn plants compared to AMF inoculant from rhizosphere sorghum, P.javanica, soybeans, and without inoculation. AMF inoculant from maize rhizosphere can increase root infection, absorption.