Study of spore dynamics in the rhizosphere of millet over time

A study examining the influence of farming practices on soil fertility was conducted between 2015 and 2017 in Lélédjé, Moli Haoussa and Alambaré, three villages in the peripheral zone. The aim of this study was to compare variations in CMA biodiversity over time according to soil fertility management practices. Experiments were carried out in farming environments from 2015 to 2017 using randomised block designs in nine fields. Soil and root samples were taken during the tillering, stem elongation and grain filling stages. A morphological characterisation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores was carried out. The results revealed that Glomus and Gigaspora are the two genera of spores produced by these cultivation practices. The density of Glomus and Gigaspora is statistically higher in the mulching and control treatments (Glomus: 30.25; Gigaspora: 15.88). The analysis of variance showed no significant difference between years for the Glomus genus. However, unlike Glomus, Gigaspora was abundant in 2017 (17.25) compared to 2015 and 2016 (11.61 and 12.25, respectively). In view of the results obtained, Glomus appears to perform better than Gigaspora, as its abundance in mulching treatments and its resistance to environmental fluctuations make it preferable to Gigaspora. Mulching is therefore a farming practice for managing soil fertility that allows for good maintenance of CMA propagules. This could be an alternative to the use of mineral fertilisers, which are too expensive, unsuited to our environmental conditions and beyond the means of Nigerien farmers.