Estudio de la diversidad de hongos micorrícicos arbusculares provenientes de dos sistemas agroforestales en plantaciones de cacao, un primer paso hacia la obtención de biofertilizante.

Abstract

In Ecuador, exist a low productivity of conventional cocoa crops (Theobroma cacao), as well as an intensive application of fertilizers and pesticides, which harm producers in the short and long term. This study focused on identifying the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that are associated with two cocoa cultivation agroecosystems, in the canton Vinces province of Los Ríos. Were chosen two types of cocoa cultivation, one organic "Hacienda La Americana" and another with application of agrochemicals "Hacienda Eden", where the percentage of mycorrhization, density of spores present in the soil, taxonomic identification of spores and analysis were determined of the physicochemical properties of the soil. The percentage of mycorrhization was higher in the Hacienda La Americana, with a value of 54.9%, while in the Eden farm a value of 8.3% was obtained. The density of spores that were reported for the La Americana farm was 175.9 spores / 100 g of soil unlike the Eden farm with a value of 61.5 spores / 100 g of dry soil. Were identified 6 genera and 26 species: Glomus (12), Acaulospora (7), Ambispora (4), Pacispora (3), Diversispora (2), Entrophospora (1). In the two farms studied there is a wide diversity of AMF spore species, which means that both agroecosystems can be biodiverse. There is greater mycorrhization and density of spores in the organic farm since it is associated with the form of cultivation, soil structure and composition.