Soils from four different cassava cropping fields (Aniansué 1, Aniansué 2, Dramanekro 1, Dramanekro 2) were analyzed to evaluate abundance and diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi associated with cassava rhizosphere in Abengourou, East Côte d'Ivoire. It was shown that the soils in the cassava cropping fields were all acidic with low levels of available phosphorus (P). A total of 29 species belonging to six different genera (Acaulospora, Ambispora, Claroideoglomus, Gigaspora, Glomus and Scutellospora) were found at Aniansué 1, 28 species belonging to six different genera (Glomus, Claroideoglomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Pacispora) were found at Aniansué 2, 30 species belonging to six different genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Pacispora, Scutellospora) were found at Dramanekro 1 and 27 species belonging to five different genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Scutellospora) were found at Dramanekro 2. The genus Glomus was dominant at each cassava cropping field. Spore densities were high, positively correlated with both soil pH and Mg 2+ , but negatively with available P. Trap culture revealed good infection potential for all soils. The frequencies of mycorrhizal roots were more than 93% for all field soils.

Background: The microbiological quality of three vegetable crops (cabbages, carrots, lettuces) and their irrigation water from the lake system of the city of Yamoussoukro were studied. The pollution indicator used is Escherichia coli (E. coli), of the thermotolerant coliform family. Methods: During the period 2017-2019, in four dry and four wet seasons, a total of 744 water samples and 13392 vegetable samples were collected in five (5) lakes belonging to the lake system. The lakes were selected because of their position in the system. The E. coli loads were evaluated after isolation on a specific COMPASS ECC Agar and confirmed with Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the physicochemical parameters of the lakes, evaluated according to their respective ISO standards. Result: In irrigation waters, bacterial loads and physico-chemical parameters generally have evolved from the upstream lakes to those downstream of the lake system (from lake A to lake E). Values were higher during the rainy seasons. E. coli loads on vegetables were strongly correlated with those of irrigation water, especially in dry seasons. Spearman’s correlations revealed significant correlations between turbidity, DOC and bacterial loads. The risk of bacterial transmission between lake waters and surrounding vegetables is proven.

The difficulties of nurserymen and producers of plantains in Côte d’Ivoire are the high mortality rate of seedlings and the delays of growth in the field. The aim of this study is to improve quality and agronomic performance of plantain seedlings produced by PIF technique (plantain seedlings production based on macropropagation). The plantain shoot bulbs were inoculated before being placed in the germinator and seedlings from germinator were inoculated again during the weaning phase at nursery with AMFs (Rhizophagus intraradices). Root mycorrhizal colonization, growth parameters such as girth, height, total leaf area, biomass and entry into production were measured in nursery and on the field. The results showed that the root colonization rate of the plants inoculated with R. intraradices inoculum was higher (30.59%) than that of the native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (2.78%). All inoculated plants survived while non-inoculated plants had 27.69% of mortality rate. Inoculated plants had higher growth than non-inoculated plants. The organs of inoculated plants also had higher biomass than non-inoculated plants. Eleven months after planting, nearly 50% of the inoculated plants had started production, while only 5.67% of the non-inoculated plants had started production. Mycorrhization improved the vigor and vegetative growth of plantain seedlings. It could therefore be used as a solution for a sustainable plantain culture.