The inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improved ecophysiological and growth parameters of Schinus terebinthifolius and Caesalpinia ferrea in degraded mining sites

Abstract

The mining activity in Brazil generates several degraded areas. The use of heliophyte forest species inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can be an alternative in active restoration projects of degraded areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ecophysiology, growth, and survival rate of Schinus terebinthifolius and Caesalpinia ferrea seedlings, with and without inoculation with Rhizophagus clarus, an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF), in a degraded mining area in the municipality of Itaporanga D'Ajuda, SE, Brazil. The experiment was conducted with plants of the two species grown with spacing of 3 × 3 m in an area degraded by sand and gravel mining. The treatments consisted of forest species without AMF and with AMF. Ecophysiological parameters were evaluated using a non-modulated fluorimeter. The plants of each treatment were evaluated for plant height, stem base diameter, and survival rate, at 12 months after planting. The inoculation of AMF in Caesalpinia ferrea allowed better efficiency in photosynthesis, promoting a survival greater than 90%, greater diameter (1.04 cm) and height (81.68 cm). Although the inoculation of AMF in Schinus terebinthifolius improved the fluorescence parameters, there was an increase only in the survival rate, being more than 90%. It is recommended that other native forest species inoculated with AMF be tested in areas degraded by mining.

Keywords

• Degraded areas
• Ecophysiological parameters
• Ecological restoration
• Brazil