Inoculation of Acacia holosericea with ectomycorrhizal fungi in a semiarid site in Senegal: growth response and influences on the mycorrhizal soil infectivity after 2 years plantation

The main objectives of this study were to determine the influence of several strains of ectomycorrhizal fungi on the growth of Acacia holosericea in a dry tropical environment and their short-term effect on indicators of ecosystem soil conditions such as biological soil properties (microbial biomass, mycorrhizal soil infectivity). Three fungal strains have been tested: Pisolithus albus IR100, P. albus COI024 and Scleroderma dictyosporum IR109. Ectomycorrhizal inoculation has significantly enhanced the growth (shoot and root biomass) of A. holosericea seedlings after 4 months culture in glasshouse conditions in a disinfected soil. In field conditions, the transplanting shock was less important for the ectomycorrhized trees. After 2 years, the inoculated trees had a better growth than that recorded in the control treatment. Ectomycorrhizal inoculation has significantly stimulated height, leave and wood biomass, root biomass of A. holosericea trees. Moreover, this fungal inoculation has significantly modified the leaf nutrient contents for P, N and phenols. Microbial biomass and mycorrhizal soil infectivity were also larger in the inoculated plots. Ectomycorrhizal inoculation could be of great relevance to improve the reafforestation process of degraded areas with legumes fast growing trees. This biological practice could also ameliorate soil characteristics such as microbial biomass or mycorrhizal soil infectivity.