Effect of Inoculation with Glomeromycota Fungi and Fertilization on Maize Yield in Acid Soils

The use of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) to improve crop productions in acid soils has been implemented through the production of inoculants based on native Glomeromycota fungi.The inoculants were isolated by wet sieving and decanting, sucrose gradient followed by reproducetion in trap pots with Brachiaria decumbens. Predominant species were: Cetraspora pellucida, Scutellospora calospora, Ambispora leptoticha and Acaulospora mellea. Each native species was reproduced individually followed by mixing the fungi together as a consortium. Inocula were applied to hybrid maize HIMECA 3003 and evaluated with 0, 27, 54 and 80 kg P2O5 ha(-1) as diammonium phosphate (DAP). Seeds were sowed in 4.5 m x 3.6 m plots, in a randomized block design with factorial arrangement, for a total of 72 plots. Eight g of inoculum per sowing site were added (with 150 spores /100 g soil). The seeds were placed directly over the inoculum. Maize was harvested after 3 months to determine N and P in stem. The most efficient combination of P for N nutrition was 54 kg P2O5.ha(-1) and mixed inoculums. The highest P content in plant was obtained with 54 kg P2O5 ha(-1) and C. pellucida. Fertilization combined with AM allowed 25% reduction of P fertilization and increased up to 100% in maize yield (from 2 to 4 t ha(-1)), compared to yield data of the zone.