Mycorrhizal Interventions for Sustainable Potato Production in Africa

Abstract

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important tuber crop with high dietary value that could potentially help to alleviate malnutrition and hunger in Africa. However, production is expensive, with high fertilizer and pesticide demands that lead to environmental pollution, and tillage practices that negatively affect soil structure. Microorganisms of different types have increasingly been found to be useful as biofertilizers, and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are an important crop symbiont. AM fungi have been shown to increase tolerance of crop plants to drought, salinity and disease by facilitating water and nutrient acquisition and by improving overall soil structure. However, the establishment and maintenance of the symbioses are greatly affected by agricultural practices. Here, we review the benefits that AM fungi confer in potato production, discuss the role and importance of mycorrhiza helper bacteria, and focus on how AM fungal diversity and abundance can be affected by conventional agricultural practices, such as those used in potato production. We suggest approaches for maintaining AM fungal abundance in potato production by highlighting the potential of conservation tillage practices augmented with cover crops and crop rotations. An approach that balances weed control, nutrient provision, and AM fungal helper bacterial populations, whilst promoting functional AM fungal populations for varying potato genotypes, will stimulate efficient mycorrhizal interventions.

Characteristics of Organically Grown Compared to Conventionally Grown Potato and the Processed Products: A Review

“…Mycorrhiza and Azospirillum as bio-fertilizers were found to reduce nitrate and nitrite contents of potato tubers [71,72]. Mycorrhizal potato plants were reported to show improved growth and development, pathogen resistance, and productivity compared to non-inoculated potato plants [73][74][75][76][77]. Khosravifar et al [78] inoculated potato plant with Claroidoglomus etunicatum and Rhizophagus intraradices and found that R. intraradices increased tuber yield by 32.5-36.0% compared to non-inoculated control plants with a maximum root colonization percentage of 54.2%.…”

“…Khosravifar et al [78] inoculated potato plant with Claroidoglomus etunicatum and Rhizophagus intraradices and found that R. intraradices increased tuber yield by 32.5-36.0% compared to non-inoculated control plants with a maximum root colonization percentage of 54.2%. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are found to increase tolerance of potato plants to drought, salinity, and disease by facilitating water and nutrient acquisition and by improving overall soil structure [77].…”

Metabolic and antioxidant effects of inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in crops of flesh‐coloured Solanum tuberosum treated with fungicides

“…In potato crops, inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis and Glomus proliferum increases potato biomass, tuber ratio, tuber size and potato plant growth in low P conditions, whereas increased tuber size, which translated into increased yields over two seasons in mycorrhizal inoculated potato, was also observed 18 . Inoculation with R. irregularis and Glomus mosseae , significantly increased the average weight of tuber compared to non‐inoculated treatment, whereas in leaf and tuber an increase Zn, P and Fe concentrations was also observed 19 .…”

Irreplaceable Role of Amendment-Based Strategies to Enhance Soil Health and Disease Suppression in Potato Production

“…because a portion of the Rhs1A1 population may be parasitized by Trichoderma species [ 115 ]. Additionally, mycorrhiza help water and mineral absorption, and many mycorrhizal products have commercially been applied in potato production [ 126 , 127 , 128 ].…”