Response of landrace and improved maize varieties to fertilization and inoculation with mycorrhizal-arbuscular fungi in a low fertility soil

Abstract

The cultivation of maize (Zea mays, L.) in low-fertility soils is a challenge for farmers in Central America. In this study, two experiments in Zamorano, Honduras evaluated the agronomic performance of maize varieties in a low-fertility soil and their response to inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). In the first experiment, 16 varieties were evaluated with and without AMF inoculation in a split-plot arrangement of a completely randomized design with four replications in a screenhouse. In the second experiment, 12 varieties were evaluated with and without chemical fertilization in a split-plot arrangement of a complete randomized block design with four replications and AMF inoculation in a low fertility field. The fertilization and non-fertilization treatments were distributed in the main plots, and the varieties were assigned to the subplots. The varieties Tuxpeño, Olotillo Mejorado, Planta Baja, DICTA Sequía, DICTA Maya, Indio Choluteca, and Capulín showed a significant improvement in grain yield when AMF inoculation and fertilization were applied. Indio Choluteca and Capulín also performed well with both inoculation and fertilization, indicating their ability to adapt and express their yield potential in low-fertility soils. Relative chlorophyll content (r= 0.5719), 100-seed weight (r= 0.6296), and dry biomass (r= 0.6250) were found to be correlated with the yield. AMF inoculation and fertilization can significantly improve maize grain yield in soils with low fertility.