Exploring the Role of Mycorrhizal and Rhizobium Inoculation with Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on the Nutrient Uptake and Growth of Acacia mangium Saplings in Acidic Soil

Debadatta Sethi,Dhirendra Kumar Nayak,Tapas Ranjan Sahoo,Sachidananda Subudhi,Vishnu D Rajput,Sushanta Kumar Pattanayak,Valery P Kalinitchenko,Satyabrata Mangaraj,Konathala Kusumavathi,Tatiana Minkina,Subhaprada Dash,Alexey P Glinushkin

doi:10.3390/f12121657

Abstract

Strong and healthy saplings are a prerequisite to establish a successful forest. Therefore, an attempt has been made to develop the best package for nutrient supplementation to raise healthy Acacia mangium saplings, especially in acidic soil. The seeds were sown in pots, receiving different combinations of Arbuscularmycorrhizal (AM), Rhizobium inoculation with application of lime, and mustard oil cake (MOC). The highest spore count and infection percentage (3220 kg−1 soil and 69) were recorded in the AM + MOC + R treated pot, whereas the lowest (2553 kg−1 soil and 37) were recorded in the AM + L treated pot. Nitrogen concentration and uptake in the sapling were higher in the Rhizobium-inoculated treatments than the uninoculated ones. The sulfur concentration and uptake were higher in the MOC-supplemented treatment. Similarly, the P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations and uptakes were higher in the limed treatments than the unlimed ones. The micronutrient concentration and uptake were higher in the unlimed treatments compared to the lime practice. The concentration of N in Rhizobium-treated pots, P and K in lime-treated pots, and S in MOC-treated pots were increased, whereas the soil pH decreased in all treatments except in the integrated package (AM + MOC + R + L) after 120 days. The Ca and Mg were reduced in all treatments, whereas micronutrients were reduced in all packages except the control. Under different nutrient management practices, plant height and stem girth continuously increased by 9.5 to 12 cm and 3 to 4 times, respectively. The production of robust saplings required integrated application of lime, MOC, AM, and Rhizobium in an acid soil that facilitated better root growth with availability of adequate nutrients for saplings.

Highlights

With accumulated pressure on forest land to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population, it is essential to plant fast-growing, multipurpose tree species, such as Acacia mangium, in agroforestry as well as wastelands to achieve the optimum area of forest and tree cover
The lowest height was recorded in the practice of an absolute control and the highest with Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and Rhizobium was inoculation with lime, and mustard oil cake (MOC) was added
Acid soil amelioration with lime provided an environment for root growth and Rhizobium to perform better

Summary

Introduction

With accumulated pressure on forest land to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population, it is essential to plant fast-growing, multipurpose tree species, such as Acacia mangium, in agroforestry as well as wastelands to achieve the optimum area of forest and tree cover. In acidic soil with N and K, phosphorus becomes a limiting plant nutrient for plant growth. A. mangium can be grown in acidic soil liming is essential for facilitating better root growth and other nutrient availability for the quick establishment of seedlings when in the nursery. Phosphorus is a primary nutrient required for cell multiplication, reproduction, metabolism, storage, and use as energy [3], which are essential for optimum productivity and quality [4]. It plays a vital role in root morphology [5] and root development, and is helpful for the availability of nutrients [6]. Plants have developed various strategies, viz. root morphology and architecture, for obtaining optimum phosphorus from soils [7]

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