Effect of Indigenous Mycorrhiza Isolates and Mineral phosphorus fertilization on the Productivity of Abu Sabein - Sorghum bicolour L.moench - under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out to study the effect of two types of mycorrhiza isolated from sorghum, and onion crops as compared to the addition of phosphorus (P) chemical fertilizer on the growth of sorghum, grown on clay soil from Khartoum state, Sudan. 6 The experiment was conducted during June–August 2011 under shadow in the demonstration farm, Sudan University, College of agricultural Studies, Shambat "lat.(15o 40 N) long(32o 32E ) ,Sudan. The biofertilizer was added at the rate of 300 spores / pot. While the chemical fertilizer was applied at the recommended dose 0.03g/treated pot (40kg triple superphosphate/ha).The design adopted was Completely Randomized Design(CRD) with three replicates. Plant samples were taken after four weeks from sowing and after harvest(8 weeks from sowing) to determine root colonization by mycorrhiza, plant height, root length, shoot dry weight, and root dry weight. In addition to shoot phosphorus content and spores density after harvest. The results indicated significant differences in root colonization after four weeks from sowing and at harvest, upon addition of sorghum mycorrhiza compared to onion mycorrhiza . The infection was depressed when phosphorus chemical fertilizer (P) was added to both types of mycorrhiza .However, the addition of mycorrhiza alone was superior to the addition of mineral P with mycorrhiza and to addition of P alone. The results also indicated significant differences in plant height, root length, shoot dry weight, and root dry weights.The best results were obtained upon the addition of the sorghum mycorrhiza, compared to onion mycorrhiza.But when phosphorus fertilizer was used with mycorrhiza, all the measured traits were depressed. Also, results indicated significant differences in spores density.High density was obtained when sorghum mycorrhiza was added alone and with onion mycorrhiza when mineral P was added as compared with other treatments. The results revealed a highly significant differences in shoot phosphorus especially when the plants inoculated with sorghum mycorrhiza , followed by 7 ‫.‪to other treatments and control‬‬