Abstract

Soils from four different cassava cropping fields (Aniansué 1, Aniansué 2, Dramanekro 1, Dramanekro 2) were analyzed to evaluate abundance and diversity of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi associated with cassava rhizosphere in Abengourou, East Côte d’Ivoire. It was shown that the soils in the cassava cropping fields were all acidic with low levels of available phosphorus (P). A total of 29 species belonging to six different genera (Acaulospora, Ambispora, Claroideoglomus, Gigaspora, Glomus and Scutellospora) were found at Aniansué 1, 28 species belonging to six different genera (Glomus, Claroideoglomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Pacispora) were found at Aniansué 2, 30 species belonging to six different genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Pacispora, Scutellospora) were found at Dramanekro 1 and 27 species belonging to five different genera (Glomus, Acaulospora, Ambispora, Gigaspora, Scutellospora) were found at Dramanekro 2. The genus Glomus was dominant at each cassava cropping field. Spore densities were high, positively correlated with both soil pH and Mg²⁺, but negatively with available P. Trap culture revealed good infection potential for all soils. The frequencies of mycorrhizal roots were more than 93% for all field soils.

Key words: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, abundance, diversity, cassava rhizosphere, Abengourou, East Côte d’Ivoire.