Background:

Canavalia ensiformis is a forage legume of tropical origin widely used as green manure. The use of mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizers is an agronomically viable and sustainable alternative applied in economic importance crops.

Hypothesis:

The interaction of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizers will favor mycorrhizal colonization, phosphorus availability and the growth of C. ensiformis plants.

Methods:

It was carried out 2018 march to 2019 august in the greenhouse with the C. ensiformis cover plant, a mycorrhizal inoculum and Penicillium brevicompactum, all possible combinations with three repetitions for three cycles. Height, number of leaves and nodules per plant were measured. Root and soil samples were taken to determine mycorrhizal colonization and soluble P. Data were analyzed using Factorial ANOVA and Tukey test (α = 0.05).

Results:

In all three cycles, mycorrhization was significantly higher in the plants inoculated with AMF + PSF interaction (Tukey < 0.05). This interaction favored an increase of 3.07 mg/Kg of soluble P in the soil. PSF and AMF + PSF treatments increased plant growth variables (height and number of leaves) (p < 0.05). The number of nodules ranged from 46-76 and a significant effect of the AMF factor (p < 0.05) and PSF (p < 0.05) was detected.

Conclusions:

The application of AMF and PSF interactions increased mycorrhizal colonization, the availability of phosphorus in the soil and the growth of C. ensiformis plants.