EFFECT OF MYCORRHIZAL INOCULATION AND SOIL FUMIGATION ON THE YIELD AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF SOME SOLANACEAS CROPS (TOMATO, EGGPLANT AND PEPPER) UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

摘要

Field experiments evaluated the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation (Glomus mosseae) and phosphorus (P) fertilisation (0 and 100 kg P/ha) on yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), eggplant [aubergine] (Solanum melongena L.) and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under field conditions with and without methyl bromide (MBr) The experiment was carried out on the Menzilat soil series (Entic Chromoxerert), which is located on the Research Farm of the University of Cukurova, (Eastern Mediterranean Region) Turkey The NaHCO_(3-)extr actable P level of the soil was 8.76, Plants were inoculated with 1000 spores per plant, Mycorrhizal inoculation increased plant yield compared with non-inoculated plants. The yield of mycorrhizal plants grown with no P was high er than that of plants to which P was applied. When no P was applied, mycorrhizal inoculation increased tomato yields by up to 52%, eggplant by up to 28% and pepper by up to 36%, but with P addition, mycorrhizal inoculation increased yields up to 28%, 14 % and 21% for these crop species respectively Mycorrhizal inoculation also increased zinc and copper uptake of the plants. These facts show that mycorrhizal inoculation is necessary under field conditions to obtain healthy and well-grown horticultural pl ants. The overall results revealed that eggplant and pepper yields were higher in fumigated plots than in the non-fumigated ones. Conversely, MBr application reduced tomato yield compared with the non-fumigated one whether or not the plants were inoculat ed. The increased vegetable yield in this study was not easily explained by better nutrient uptake Mycorrhizal inoculation may have had some other benefits to the plant such as protecting it against soil-borne pathogens and environmental stress.