Efecto de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares en rasgos funcionales de Theobroma cacao en vivero (Córdoba, Colombia)

Daniela Cogollo Roldán; Jose luis Contreras Santos; Juan Carlos  Linares Arias; Judith Martínez Atencia; Cindy Katherine  Falla Guzmán; Jeyson Garrido Pineda; Wilmar Wilches Ortiz

doi:10.22490/21456453.9146

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2026)

Published 2026-09-26

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Área Agrícola

Fertilización

Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on functional traitsOf Theobroma cacao in nursery (Córdoba, Colombia)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/21456453.9146

Daniela Cogollo Roldán University of Córdoba

Jose luis Contreras Santos Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA

Juan Carlos Linares Arias University of Córdoba

Judith Martínez Atencia Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA

Cindy Katherine Falla Guzmán Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA

Jeyson Garrido Pineda Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA

Wilmar Wilches Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research - AGROSAVIA

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Abstract
References

Contextualization: Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) cultivation requires vigorous and physiologically stable seedlings during the nursery stage, as this phase determines their adaptation, survival, and subsequent field performance. In this context, the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) represents a sustainable biological strategy to improve nutrient uptake, stimulate root development, and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers in cocoa production systems.

Knowledge gap: Despite the potential of AMF as bioinputs, limited information is available on the functional response of cocoa seedlings to individual inocula from germplasm banks compared with native mycorrhizal consortia associated with cocoa-producing areas in the department of Córdoba, Colombia.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of individual AMF inocula from the AGROSAVIA Germplasm Bank and native AMF consortia on the morphological, physiological, and mycorrhizal functional traits of cocoa seedlings under nursery conditions.

Methodology: A completely randomized design was established under nursery conditions, with nine treatments: six AMF-inoculated treatments and three controls with different levels of chemical fertilization, corresponding to 100%, 50%, and 0% of the recommended dose. Each treatment included three replicates. At the end of the experimental cycle, after five months, morphological and physiological traits of the seedlings were evaluated, along with variables associated with mycorrhizal symbiosis, including root colonization and spore quantification in the rhizosphere soil.

Results and conclusions: AMF inoculation positively modified the functional traits of cocoa seedlings. The native consortium from Puerto Libertador (T2) showed the best performance, exceeding the other treatments by an average of 45.6% in shoot dry weight, 10.3% in fine-root length, and 16.9% in root length density. Likewise, other AMF-inoculated treatments equaled or outperformed the chemically fertilized controls in several morphological and physiological traits. These results show that mycorrhizal symbiosis promotes the growth and development of cocoa seedlings under nursery conditions, with potential to partially reduce the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and strengthen sustainable management strategies in cocoa production systems.

keywords: fertilization, mycorrhizal fungi, plant nutrition, Theobroma cacao, functional traits

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Cogollo Roldán , D., Contreras Santos, J. luis, Linares Arias , J. C. ., Martínez Atencia, J., Falla Guzmán , C. K. ., Garrido Pineda , J., & Wilches , W. (2026). Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on functional traitsOf Theobroma cacao in nursery (Córdoba, Colombia). Revista De Investigación Agraria Y Ambiental, 17(2), 11-39. https://doi.org/10.22490/21456453.9146

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