Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on the Growth and Yield of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) in Bauchi, Nigeria

Soybeans (Glycine max L.) globally has been regarded as an economically important commodity that is highly traded and also a vital legume used as food source for both humans and animals. The objective of the study therefore is to determine the effect of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) (Glomus intraradices) on the growth and yield of soybean (Glycine max L.). The experiment was conducted in a screen house where two varieties of soybeans (TGX 1448 and TGX 1951) were grown in 1 litre pods, filled with sterilized soil and three seeds were sown into each pod at a depth of 2 cm until germination, then reduced to one seedling. Different AMF dose (10 g, 20 g, 30 g, and 40 g) was inoculated at the time of seed sowing and non-inoculated pods as control (0 g). Various parameters were taken into consideration like plant height and number of leaves while shoot dry biomass, root dry biomass and yield attributes were taken at harvest. It was observed that the inoculated plants performed higher than the non-inoculated plants. Growth parameters such as plant height, number of leaves, shoot dry biomass, root dry biomass, and yield attributes increased with increase AMF dose. Therefore, it is concluded that AMF inoculation increase growth and yield of soybeans and can serve as biofertilizer.