Effect of commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculant on growth and yield of soybean under controlled and natural field conditions

Pot and field experiments were conducted to assess varietal differences in growth and yield responses of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) to commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant (Empathy Mycorrhizal Rootgrow (TM)). Three soybean cultivars (TGx 1448-2E, TGx 1440-1E and TGx 1740-2F) were grown under two levels of AMF inoculation (with and without), replicated three times in both experiments. The study showed that mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and leaf area of soybean of the three cultivars compared to AMF-free control in both experiments. This resulted in higher yield attributes and yield of soybean. AMF root colonization ranged from 56% - 76% in the cultivars. TGx 1448-2E performed better producing highest yield attributes and yield than TGx 1440-1E or TGx 1740-2F. It could be concluded from this study that the use of the commercial AMF inoculant has the potential to promote soybean growth and yield under favorable conditions.