ISSN 2756-3413
African Journal of Virology Research ISSN 2756-3413 Vol. 20 (2), pp. 001-012, February, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Phosphorus Fertilizer Levels and AMF Diversity in the Bambara Groundnut Rhizosphere
Temegne Nono Carine1,2, Wakem Germaine-Alice1, Taffouo Victor Desiré3, Mbogne Taboula Judith1, Onguene Awana Nérée4, Youmbi Emmanuel1,5* and Ntsomboh-Ntsefong Godswill1,6
1Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, P. O. Box 812. Cameroon.
2Department of Civil Engineering, Forestry Techniques-Agricultural Education, University of Bamenda, P. O. Box 39 Bambili, Cameroon.
3Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P. O. Box 24157 Douala, Cameroon.
4Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), P. O. Box 2123 Yaounde, Cameroon.
5Tissue Culture Laboratory, African Centre for Research on Banana and Plantain (CARBAP), Njombe, P. O. Box 832 Douala, Cameroon.
6Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), CEREPAH Dibamba, P. O. Box 243 Douala, Cameroon.
Accepted 20 September, 2025
Tropical soils are highly leached, abundantly clayey and strongly acid, resulting in low mineral availability and especially phosphorus (P). The plants of this region must establish symbiotic relationships enabling them to strengthen their hydromineral nutrition. The aim of this work was to study the effect of P fertilizer application on the diversity of arbuscular mycorhizal fungi (AMF) under the rhizosphere of three Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) landraces. To attain it, plants were grown in farm under different simple superphosphate (SSP) levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg.ha-1 P2O5) in 2015 at Mendong and Soa districts. Experimental units were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Soil and root samples were taken from the rhizosphere of three randomly selected seeds holes per experimental unit at flowering (31 days after sowing) and fruition stages. At harvest, the roots were stored in 50% ethyl alcohol. They were stained with methyl blue and observed under an optical microscope. The soil samples allowed the trapping to be carried out in a greenhouse with sorghum as test plants. Results show that Bambara groundnut landraces were the host of several AMF species and were highly colonized with all showing hyphae, vesicles and even spores. High level of SSP (200 kg.ha-1 P2O5) significantly (p<0.001) reduced the intensity of mycorrhization as well as the diversity indices compared to the control. A density of AMF spores reaching 1930 was obtained in 100 g of trapping substrate. On the basis of morphological characteristics, 16 AMF species belonging to nine genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Gigaspora, Racocetra, Rhizophagus, Funneliformis, Septoglomus, Diversispora and Claroideoglomous) were isolated and identified. Rhizophagus intraradices and Septoglomus constrictum were the most abundant. AMF species identified in this groundnut rhizosphere can be multiplied and used as biological fertilizer to increase its yield.
Keywords: Arbuscular mycorhizal fungi (AMF) diversity, Cameroon, morphological characteristics, rhizosphere, root colonization, spore density, symbiosis, phosphate fertilization, Voandzou.