Nature Farming with Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae in Bangladesh

Abstract

Summary Systematic research on the effect of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with different agricultural crops, sand dune plants and plantation crops has been carried out in Bangladesh for last few years. Large numbers of VA-mycorrhizal fungi have been detected in different soil types for identification and inoculum production and for use in nurseries and the field as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides and to progress towards nature farming. The VAM fungi not only absorb and translocate immobile nutrients like phosphorus, zinc and copper (especially phosphorus) through external hyphae, but also play important roles in inter- and intra-specific transfer of carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen from plant to plant. VAM fungi may also protect plants from certain root-infecting pathogens, improve plant-water relations, enhance the establishment and growth of micro-propagated plants, and increase plant tolerance to salinity. VAM fungi can improve the ecological and environmental conditions of the country and its agriculture by reducing the farmer's dependence and expenditure on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Effective mycorrhizal inoculum can be introduced directly to the field or indirectly through the production of VAM-infected seedlings from nurseries. The gap of knowledge on the occurrence of VAM fungi in association with different agricultural and forest crops is still immense in Bangladesh. This article has been prepared to draw attention of agricultural scientists, plant physiologist, forest managers, policy-makers and different government and non-government officials towards nature farming systems utilizing VAM and possibility of utilizing VAM in production system.