Redalyc.SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION of TRICHODERMA SPP. in EMBU
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems E-ISSN: 1870-0462 [email protected] Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán México Okoth, Sheila A.; Okoth, P.; Wachira, P. M.; Roimen, H. SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF TRICHODERMA SPP. IN EMBU AND TAITA REGIONS, KENYA Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, vol. 11, núm. 2, 2009, pp. 291-302 Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán Mérida, Yucatán, México Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=93913057005 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems, 11 (2009): 291 - 302 SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF TRICHODERMA SPP. IN EMBU AND TAITA REGIONS, KENYA Tropical and [DISTIBUCION ESPACIAL DE TRICHODERMA SPP. EN LAS REGIONES DE EMBU Y TAITA, KENIA] Subtropical Sheila A. Okoth*¹, P. Okoth² P.M. Wachira¹ and H. Roimen³ Agroecosystems ¹University of Nairobi, P. O. Box 30197 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya, E mail: [email protected] ²Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility, P. O. Box 30777, Nairobi, Kenya ³Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, P. O. Box 47146, Nairobi, Kenya. *Corresponding author SUMMARY Trichoderma can be used in crop rotations or in combinations with other crops to maintain high levels The distribution of Trichoderma species in soils of of the fungus in the soil. Embu and Taita benchmark sites in Kenya with relation to land use practices was investigated. The Key words: Land use, Trichoderma distribution; study areas were chosen because of their significant Africa. land use intensification and for being biodiversity hot spots. Soil washing and dilution plate techniques were INTRODUCTION used to recover Trichoderma spp from the soil samples collected from different land use types. The fungal Microorganisms in soil are critical to the maintenance isolates were identified and assigned to nine species of soil function in both natural and managed from Embu soils and eleven species from the Taita agricultural soils because of their involvement in key soils. Greater populations were observed in Embu than processes such as soil structure formation, in Taita. Geographic differences between the regions decomposition of organic matter, cycling of carbon, explained the differences in ecological niches of the nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur. Microorganisms two regions that result to different soil assemblages like Trichoderma also play key roles in suppressing and plant types in the regions and therefore variation soil borne plant diseases and promoting plant growth in available substrate for the fungus. Land use at each (Garbeva et al, 2004). site affected the distribution, richness and abundance of Trichoderma with napier grass having the highest Trichoderma species are cosmopolitan fungi in soils abundance in both Embu and Taita while coffee had decaying wood and vegetable matter. Their dominance the lowest richness and abundance. Trichoderma in soil may be attributed to their diverse metabolic favoured plants with shallow and widely spreading capability and aggressive competitive nature (Lewis rooting systems, compared to the deeply rooted and Papavizas, 1991; Haran et al., 1996a; Haran et al., perennial coffee and tea trees. This underpins the 1996b; Eland, 2000). They colonize roots, attack, importance of plant type and in effect land use system parasitize and gain nutrition from other fungi, thus in the abundance of Trichoderma. The unevenness in enhancing root growth. Trichoderma species have the distribution of Trichoderma within the LUTs developed rhizosphere competence through evolving suggested that other factors influenced the distribution numerous mechanisms for both attack of other fungi of Trichoderma apart from the LUTs. Unevenness was and for enhancing plant and root growth. These greater in Embu than in Taita. The differences could properties include mycoparasitism, antibiosis, mostly be attributed to soil management practices competition for nutrients or space, tolerance to stress employed by different farmers while managing their through enhanced root and plant development, land and crops. Trichoderma harziunum was the most solubilization and sequestration of organic nutrients, frequently isolated species and the most abundant in induced resistance, inactivation of the pathogens both Embu and Taita. Presence of Trichoderma enzymes and these properties have been demonstrated species in some land use types and absence in others, by several scientists including Chet (1987, 1993); provided a clue on the most preferred habitats, plants Hjeljord and Tronsmo, 1998; Altomore et al., 1999; and/or crops. Considering the beneficial aspects of Eland and Kapat, 1999; Howell et al., 2000; Yedidia et Trichoderma such as being antagonistic to the al., 1999. These diverse activities of Trichoderma pathogenic fungi, crops or plants such as napier grass render them a beneficial component of soil ecosystem. that induce high abundance and richness of They play a key role in suppressing soil borne plant 291 Okoth et al., 2009 diseases and promoting plant growth (Garbeva et al, Isolation of Trichoderma spp. 2004). This study was conducted to determine the influence of land use systems on the occurrence and The 120 soil samples were processed using the soil distribution of Trichoderma species in Embu and Taita dilution plate (Johnson et al., 1959) and soil washing districts, Kenya. The two sites were chosen because of methods (Gams et al., 1987; Bills & Polishook, 1994). 1 1 1 their land use intensity gradients and classification as /10, /100, /1000 dilutions of the samples were prepared. biodiversity hot spots with several plant and animal Before the setting of the organic matter and soil species either endangered or vulnerable to extinction particles, 1 ml of the dilutions was applied to prepared (Miller et al.,1993, Muya et al., 2006, Newmark, plates of malt extract (MEA) and cornmeal agar 1998, Wass, 2000 ). Diversity, abundance and spatial (CMD) with 2% dextrose) both with 50mg/L distribution of Trichoderma species over the different streptomycin and 10mg/L cyclosporine. LUTs in Embu and Taita were compared. Morphological and cultural characters were used to For isolation using the soil washing technique, 10g of identify Trichoderma isolates using taxonomic keys soil was sieved in a set of 4.0 mm, 1.0 and 0.5 mm compiled by Samuels et al., (2004). sieve. This was done by suspending 10g of the soil in 2L tap water and pouring through the nest of the MATERIAL AND METHODS sieves. The procedure was then repeated with 2L of sterile water. After this treatment, the contents of the Description of study site first mesh which were bigger in size were surface sterilized by transferring the contents into a sterile In Embu site three windows were identified for study; Petri dish with sterile water containing streptomycin. Window 1 and 2 are 0.5km apart and both are 20km Organic particles floating on the surface of the water away from Window 3. Sixty sampling points which and the washed soil particles were picked up with a were 200m apart were marked in a grid-mesh loop and forceps and transferred onto plates of MEA construction using GPS markings in each of the and CMD (Cornmeal agar with 2% dextrose) both windows. The points fell within eight land-uses with streptomycin 50mg /L and cyclosporine 10mg/L. namely; Tea (Camellia sinensis) Coffee (Coffea Two replicates per media were used. The small pieces arabica), Maize/bean intercrop (Zea mays), Fallow of debris retained on the other two sieves could not be (mainly Digitaria abyssinica, Pennisetum surface sterilized because they were too small and cladestinum), Napier (Pennisetum purpureum), porous. The debris was damp-dried on sterile paper Planted forests with Meru oak (Vitex keniensis), towels and then dried over silica gel for 24 hours Planted forests with mixed eucalyptus (Eucalyptus before plating on the isolation media. The plates were saligna, E. globulus), and Indigenous forests. incubated at 25oC for two weeks (Gams et al., 1987). The Taita site was divided into two windows; Window The colonies were counted and identified using the 1 covered annual and perennial cropping on bench- soil dilution plate method. The identified colonies terraced uplands and agro forestry on steep hills while were transferred to Petri dishes containing PDA Window 2 occupies natural and planted forest, mixed (potato dextrose agar) and incubated at 15, 25, 30 and cropping and horticulture on the bottomlands. The two 35oC for further identification to species level. windows are 0.5km apart. The sixty sampling points Colonies developed from the isolates using the soil fell within seven land use systems. Coffee, Napier, washing technique were also identified. Maize, Horticulture, Fallow, Indigenous forest and Planted forests. Identification of Trichoderma species Soil sample collection Genus identification of green fungus was undertaken using the method of Domsch et al., (1980). Sampling points were marked in circles measuring 3m Trichoderma isolates were identified at species level and 6m radii where 4 and 8 soil samples were augured following the taxonomic key of the genus at 0-10cm and 10-20cm depths respectively. The soil Trichoderma by Samuels et al, (2004). Colony samples were mixed thoroughly into a single characters, growth rates in culture and morphological composite sample for Trichoderma species