ICOM1 Abstract

BAKARR, MOHAMED I.1,2, MARIA Q. TARLUE2 & DAVID SUALE3. 1 Department of Biology, University of Miami, P.O. Box 249118, Coral Gables, FL 33124 U.S.A. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, Njala University College, PMB, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. 3 Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR/MAFF), PMB, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. - Arbuscular mycorrhizae affect growth of maize (Zea mays) in monocrop and intercrop with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) We conducted an experiment in fumigated (with granular Dazomet) field microplots (1 X 1 m) to determine the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) on growth of maize in monoculture and intercropped with a nodulated legume, cowpea. Monocultures consisted of 25 maize plants/m2; intercrops alternated three five-plant rows of cowpea with two rows of maize for the same total density. We used a 2 X 2 factorial design with mycorrhizal inoculation and cropping system as treatments. We harvested ten maize plants per plot, and assessed treatment effects on plant height, leaf area, shoot fresh mass, and total mass per plot. We terminated the experiment eight weeks after planting. AM had a significant positive effect on all measures of maize growth. Presence of cowpea had a significant negative effect on maize height and total mass of maize. Lack of significant interaction indicates that intercropping did not change the relative benefit of AM.