Combine Effects of Soil Nutrient Levels and Mycorrhiza Inoculums from Soils under Parkia Biglobosa and Tamarindus Indica on Chlorophyll Content of Some Cereal and Legume Crops

Abstract

ABSTRACT Effects of mycorrhizal soil inoculums from soil under Parkia biglobosa and Tamarindus indica trees on leaf chlorophyll content of some cereal and legume crops were investigated. Plants response differs with different soil nutrient status, which ranging from positive, negative to neutral, depending on the plant-soil type combination. Mycorrhizal soil from under T. indica positively improved chlorophyll content of maize in the high nutrient soil (P = 0.014); millet in the low nutrient soil (P = 0.004); and soya beans in the medium (P = 0.000) and low (P = 0.000) nutrient soil. Soil under T. indica and P. biglobosa showed no effect on the leaf chlorophyll content of guinea corn in both the high and medium nutrient soils (P = 0.439 and P = 0.075), respectively, and the same with millet (P = 0.608 and P = 0.252), respectively. Mycorrhizal soils under both P. biglobosa and T. indica trees did not affect the chlorophyll content of beans in the high, medium and low nutrient soils (P = 0.245, P = 0.306, and P = 0.180), respectively, and the same with groundnut (P = 0.052, P = 0.084 and P = 0.085), respectively. Soils under both T. indica and P. biglobosa negatively affected chlorophyll content of guinea corn in the low nutrient soil (P = 0.030). To exploit the maximum benefits of these mycorrhizas in crop production in the savanna, more complex and extensive research is required.