Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to enhance the growth of tropical endangered species Pterocarpus indicus and Pericopsis mooniana in post gold mine field in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

Husna, Tuheteru FD, Arif A. 2021. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to enhance the growth of tropical endangered species Pterocarpus indicus and Pericopsis mooniana in post gold mine field in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3844-3853. Gold mining activities contribute to the national economy, but have a serious impact on forest and environmental degradation and pose a threat to tree species in the tropics. Reforestation of post-gold mining with tropical legume tree species is threatened with extinction. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are effective in conservation of endangered plants and restoration of degraded land. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of native AM Fungi inoculation on the growth of Pterocarpus indicus and Pericopsis mooniana in nurseries and post-gold mining fields. P. indicus and P. mooniana seedlings were inoculated with Glomus claroideum Schenk & Smith, Glomus coronatum Giovann., and mixed AMF (G. claroideum, G. coronatum). Uninoculated seedlings were used as control treatment, and they were maintained for 4 months under greenhouse conditions. After 4 months in greenhouse, seedlings were transferred to post-gold mine and planted for 4 months. The percentage of AMF colonization, plant growth, nutrient content and uptake of N, P, K, Fe, Mn were measured after 4 months both in the greenhouse and the field. The percentage of AMF colonization under greenhouse conditions in P. indicus and P. mooniana ranged 5.67-75.3% and 2.2-41.2%. All AMF colonization tended to have higher shoot height, leaf numbers and nodules, plant dry weight and N, P, K content under greenhouse conditions. Shoot height, stem diameter, leaf dry weight, N, P, K, Mn and Fe under field conditions had higher inoculated seedlings than control four months after planting. AMF could be used to conserve endangered tree species in post-gold mining reforestation in the tropics.