Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and cattle manure on the initial growth and pigmentation of Capsicum frutescens L.

The inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a simple and sustainable practice that promotes growth and nutrition of plants. The objective was to evaluate the effect of AMF and cattle manure (C) on the initial growth and pigment contents in "Misterioso" chilli (Capsicum frutescens). Five treatments were evaluated: plants cultivated in sand (T1), T1+C (T2), T1+Scutellospora fulgida (T3), T1+Funneliformis mosseae (T4), and T1+Glomus manihotis (T5). A completely randomized design with ten replications was used. After 55 days from transplant the percentage of mycorrhizal colonization (PMC), plant height (PH), number of leaves and nodes (NL, NN), root length (RL), dry biomass of roots and aerial part (DBR, DBA), proportion root-aerial part dry biomass (PRADB), leaf area (LA) and index (LAI), content of chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids, were determined. The statistical analysis showed significant differences for all the studied variables by effect of the treatments. The best response was obtained in T4 for most of the variables, except NL, NN, LA and LAI, followed by T3 and T2. The treatment T2 was superior in LA, ILA, FBA, and also recorded the largest PH, NL, NN, RL, FBP, DBA and DBP, except pigments. It is concluded that treatments with F. mosseae (PMC=58.47 %), S. fulgida (PMC=26.31 %), and the use of cattle manure influenced positively in the initial growth of the plants.