Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) Colonisation and Rhizobia nodulation of Cowpea as Affected by Flavonoid Application

The potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizobia and flavonoid (3-o-glucoside kaempferol) to enhance P nutrition, N2 fixation as well as phenolic metabolism was investigated in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) in low-available P soil of southern Cameroon. The design was a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement laid out in a randomised complete block with three replicates. The N uptake and phenol content of cowpea only increased at 90 DAP following AMF inoculation. Flavonoid application significantly increased the percentage of root colonisation at 45 DAP and 90 DAP harvest ages. With respect to nodule number, P and N contents, ureide and phenol content, significant increases following flavonoid application were noticed only at 90 DAP. The significant interactions between the AMF inoculation and flavonoid application for root colonisation, P and N uptake, ureide and phenol content call for the possibility of using AMF and the 3-o-glucoside kaempferol flavonoid to improve growth, N2 fixation of cowpea in low available P soils of southern Cameroon.