PROF. OKOTH SHEILA

Citation:

Okoth S. "Occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Fusarium in TC banana rhizosphere inoculated with microbiological products in different soils in Kenya." International Journal of Soil Science. 2015;10(2):45.

Abstract:

The impact of microbiological commercial products (PHC Biopak, Rhizatech and ECO-T) on
the occurrence of mycorrhizae and Fusarium in the rhizosphere of tissue culture banana
(Gros Mitchel cv.) was assessed. Tissue cultured banana plantlets were inoculated with PHC
Biopak (Bacillus), Rhizatech (mycorrhiza) and ECO-T (T. harzianum) under greenhouse conditions
using a completely randomized design in a Vertisol, Rhodic Ferralsol and Humic Nitisol sampled
from the major banana growing regions in Kenya. Potted plants were later established under field
conditions in the three agro ecological zones. Roots and soils sampled at end of potting and at
flowering were assessed for AM fungi colonization and Fusarium populations. The effect of product
inoculation on AM fungi colonization varied and only significant (p<0.05) in Rhodic Ferralsol with
Rhizatech increasing intensity of colonization by 31.9% and PHC Biopak increasing the frequency
of colonization by 38.6% compared to the non-inoculated control (12.9%). F. oxysporum, fsp. cubense,
F. proliferatum and F. incarnatum were recovered from the experimental soils. Foc was the most
abundant in the three soils (prior to inoculation) accounting for 60.6% of all Fusarium colony
forming units. After inoculation, at the end of potting stage and at flowering, F. proliferatum was
mostly isolated from the three zones accounting for 35.2% of the total fungal population. Foc was
isolated from Humic Nitisol and Vertisol accounting for 11.5% of the total fungal population. PHC
Biopak, ECO-T and Rhizatech suppressed Foc colony forming units per gram of soil by 47, 68 and
55%, respectively in the Humic Nitisol. ECO-T reduced Fusarium colony forming units per gram
of soil by 6% in Rhodic Ferralsol and PHC Biopak by 50% in Vertisol compared to the
non-inoculated soils. There is potential in use of commercial microbiological products to suppress
Foc and the efficacy of the products depends on soil physico-chemical properties.
Key words: Tissue culture banana, Trichoderma

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