Effect of AMF Inoculation on the Growth of Combretocarpus rotundatus (Miq) on a Peat Soil from Central Kalimantan (For Restoration Ex-Mega Rice Project Central Kalimantan)

Abstract

For the restoration of degraded peat swamp forest, silvicultural techniques using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) are considered necessary. AM fungi symbiotic relationships play important role for the growth and survival of trees. The objective of this study is to observe the AM fungal status of a typical peat swamp forest in Block C at Kelampangan in Central Kalimantan which has been cleared and disturbed. Currently the site is occupied by various pioneer plants. Soil samples from the rhizosphere of five pioneer vegetation (Melastoma sp, Combretocarpus sp, Acacia sp, Cratoxylon sp, and Nephrolepsis sp) were collected and spores were isolated from the soil using a wet sieving and decanting method. Greatest spore number was observed in the rhizosphere of Melastoma sp, followed by Acacia sp, and Combretocarpus sp. Three genera of AM fungi were found, namely Glomus, Gigaspora, and Acaulospora. A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of the arbuscular vesicular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus sp 1, Glomus sp 2 and Gigaspora sp and seedling media on the growth of Combretocarpus rotundatus (Miq). In general the AM fungi used in this study showed beneficial effect on plant growth parameters. The colonization by Glomus sp 1 produced the highest plant height, stem diameter and leaf number per plant. On the peat soil medium, Combretocarpus rotundatus (Miq) showed a high degree of dependence on mycorrhizal association, increasing with the age of the plants.