Research Projects

Mycorrhizal Validation and Characterization for Reforestation Efforts, Western Nicaragua

Project Team

Objectives

• To explore the effectiveness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi -- a form of endomycorrhizal associates that share carbon and mineral nutrition with the host plant -- in enhancing tree seedling establishment and growth in watersheds of Western Nicaragua.

Description

• This is a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Scientific Cooperation Research Program.  The research takes place in Nicaragua in collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua-Leon and the PanAmerican School of Agriculture, Zamorano or EAP, in Honduras.

Outputs

• Experimental plantations of Musa spp., coffee (Coffea arabica), pacific mahogany (Swietenia humilis), Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata), pachote (Bombacopsis quinata), acetuno (Simarouba glauca) inoculated with three fungal species.

Accomplishments 2000-2001

The EAP has been producing the mycorrhizal inoculum in Honduras for seedlings planted in the field study and is a major partner in activities in Nicaragua. 

Researchers and partners have inoculated about 5,000 seedlings with the fungal symbionts and are evaluating them in Nicaraguan watersheds near León and Estelí.

Researchers found that seedlings with mycorrhizal inoculation had greater height growth, greater leaf area, and in the case of coffee, less infection with leaf diseases during the first season growth.

  Activities for Next Year

The project will produce over 50,000 seedlings for out-planting in 2002.  The partners plan to produce the fungal inoculum near the research sites this coming year.