Regresar

Native mycorrhizae and their effect on two tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) rootstocks

Abstract:

It is estimated that Ecuador has a production area over 3500 ha of tree tomato. These production areas have been established due to the high demand for this fruit; however production levels have been affected by pests and poor nutrition of the crop. This research evaluated the efficiency of the use of native mycorrhizae in developing of seedlings of cujacu (Solanum hispidium) and tabaquillo (Nicotiana glauca) which are used as rootstocks for tree tomato. In the country there are no records about management, uses and benefits of inoculating arbuscular mycorrhizae in those species. Sampling of soil and roots were carried out in four sites where grafted tomato tree is grown by using the mentioned rootstocks. The best results about number of spores and percentage of root colonization were showed by soils from Mindo and Mitad del Mundo localities. In the aforementioned soils, the highest percentages of root colonization in trap plants were found, and increases of 145 and 127% in the amount of phosphorus in the plant tissue were obtained, respectively, in relation to the control (sterile sand). Likewise, the highest root colonization occurred in inoculated seedlings of cujacu and tabaquillo in which the phosphorus concentration showed a respective increase of 39 and 33%, on average for the soils of Mindo and Mitad del Mundo The commercial control (Glomus sp.) showed an acceptable performance; however, it always was lower as compared to the results from the inoculum of native strains.