The Use of Mycorrhizal Inoculation in the Domestication of Ziziphus Mauritiana and Tamarindus Indica in Mali (west Africa)

Pot experiments were conducted in a nursery in 2008 in Mali to study the effect of mycorrhizal symbionts on the growth and root infection of Ziziphus mauritiana and Tamarindus indica seedlings in unsterile soils. Three treatments were used and consisted of two types of inoculum (Glomus aggregatum, G. fasciculatum) and an uninoculated control. The seedlings were non-destructively assessed each month, and an additional, destructive harvest was made, after 6 and 10 months for Z. mauritiana and T. indica respectively. Mycorrhizal inoculation had a more positive impact on the growth of Z. mauritiana than on T. indica. G. aggregatum significantly (P < 0.01) improved the growth of Z. mauritiana seedlings. However, the growth of T. indica seedlings was significantly better in the control compared to the two types of inoculum used. This indicates that unsterile nursery soil may contain effective mycorrhizal propagules. The mean percentage of infection of Z. mauritiana seedlings (74%) was significantly higher than that of T. indica (57%). We conclude that mycorrhizal inoculation can improve both mycorrhizal infection and growth of Z. mauritiana seedlings in unsterile nursery soils.