Growth response of Tabernaemontana pandacaqui Poir. in soil from a former mining site in Marinduque, Philippines
Abstract
A.J.D. Belarmino, N.M. Pampolina and E.E. Coracero*
Potential hazards and immediate rehabilitation of inactive/abandoned mines are concerns in Mogpog, Marinduque. Efforts have been initiated in the area through the use of species such as Acacia auriculiformis Benth. The study focused on assessing and mass-producing endomycorrhizal fungi from plants collected in the area and investigating the growth response of indigenous Tabernaemontana pandacaqui Poir. with A. auriculiformis, endomycorrhizas, and biofertilizers in soil from mine tailings. Soil and plant collection was done in three major ecosystems: agroforestry, A. auriculiformis stand, and natural forest. Associated endomycorrhizas were isolated and prepared as an inoculant to test the response of T. pandacaqui. Field endomycorrhizal spores from T. pandacaqui were: Acauslospora (50), Glomus (16), and Gigaspora (2), which sporulated (422/75g dry soil) as inoculant. Height and diameter of T. pandacaqui were significantly (p < 0.01) better with A. auriculiformis, possibly due to its N-fixing property, though host mortality was higher brought by competition. Soil inoculants promoted the growth of T. pandacaqui but MykoVAM performed significantly (p < 0.05) height than control. To facilitate the ecological succession in old mining, the A. auriculiformis could be maintained as a nurse crop for threatened species like T. pandacaqui and consider the potential of local endomycorrhizal isolates encouraging growth and survival.