Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculation on the Growth of Red Pepper and Soil Glomalin Content

Ji-Eun  Lee1   Eun-Hwa Lee1   Ahn-Heum  Eom1,*   

1Department of Biology Education, Korea National University of Education, Cheongju 28173, Korea

Abstract

Red pepper seedlings were inoculated either alone or with a mixture of all five species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). After 10 weeks of growth in the greenhouse, the seedlings were transplanted into fields and cultivated without chemical fertilizers and pesticides for 10 weeks. The results showed that plant growth was significantly increased under both greenhouse and field conditions, suggesting that AMF inoculation has a positive effect on the growth of Capsicum annuum and improves the physical properties of the soil by increasing the concentration of glomalin. The application of AMF can positively contribute to sustainable agriculture by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers while increasing crop growth.

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1. Dry weights (A) and root:shoot ratio (B) ofC apsicum annuum seedlings inoculated with different fungal species after 10 weeks of growth in a greenhouse. A-C: Different letters indicate significant differences at <0.05 (n=30) according to LSD test of one-way ANOVA. AL, ; CC, ; CE, ; FM, ; GG, Gigaspora gigantea; MX, mixture.