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<p>Subsistence agriculture in tropical smallholder farming systems of eastern Africa faces persistent productivity challenges due to low soil fertility, limited inputs, and increasing climate variability. Agroforestry can offer a sustainable strategy for smallholder systems by enhancing soil quality and influencing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition in crop root systems. Using a canopy-based radial sampling design, we assessed the influence of <i>Mangifera indica</i> (mango) trees on soil properties and AMF communities in maize and cassava in southern Ethiopia. Illumina MiSeq sequencing identified 908 AMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 7 families, dominated by Glomeraceae. While soil properties, including pH, total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon, and potassium, were significantly affected by the distance from mango trunks (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), this was not the case for AMF community composition and AMF richness and diversity. Host identity, rather than distance from the mango trees, was the primary driver of AMF community composition, with distinct and host-specific assemblages in mango, maize, and cassava roots (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Soil nutrients influenced AMF diversity differently across host plants (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). In maize–mango systems, TN positively affected observed richness (S<sub>obs</sub>) and Shannon diversity (N1), whereas Olsen P negatively affected N1 and Simpson diversity (N2). In cassava–mango systems, TN increased S<sub>obs</sub>, and Olsen P positively influenced expected richness (S<sub>exp</sub>). Overall, these findings suggest that improvements in soil fertility associated with mango-based agroforestry systems do not necessarily translate into corresponding changes in crop-associated AMF community composition and diversity. Without demonstrating direct benefits, we at least show that mango can be effectively integrated into smallholder maize and cassava production without compromising the AMF communities, while enhancing key soil fertility indicators. Maintaining adequate nitrogen levels while avoiding excessive phosphorus inputs may help sustain stable AMF communities in agroforestry systems.</p>

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Effects of mango–maize and mango–cassava agroforestry systems on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities and soil properties in Southern Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月20日

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  • Aynalem Gochera Sade,
  • Yonas Ugo Utaile,
  • Bart Muys,
  • Arne Devriese,
  • Olivier Honnay,
  • Margaux Boeraeve

摘要

Subsistence agriculture in tropical smallholder farming systems of eastern Africa faces persistent productivity challenges due to low soil fertility, limited inputs, and increasing climate variability. Agroforestry can offer a sustainable strategy for smallholder systems by enhancing soil quality and influencing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition in crop root systems. Using a canopy-based radial sampling design, we assessed the influence of Mangifera indica (mango) trees on soil properties and AMF communities in maize and cassava in southern Ethiopia. Illumina MiSeq sequencing identified 908 AMF operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 7 families, dominated by Glomeraceae. While soil properties, including pH, total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon, and potassium, were significantly affected by the distance from mango trunks (p < 0.001), this was not the case for AMF community composition and AMF richness and diversity. Host identity, rather than distance from the mango trees, was the primary driver of AMF community composition, with distinct and host-specific assemblages in mango, maize, and cassava roots (p < 0.001). Soil nutrients influenced AMF diversity differently across host plants (p < 0.05). In maize–mango systems, TN positively affected observed richness (Sobs) and Shannon diversity (N1), whereas Olsen P negatively affected N1 and Simpson diversity (N2). In cassava–mango systems, TN increased Sobs, and Olsen P positively influenced expected richness (Sexp). Overall, these findings suggest that improvements in soil fertility associated with mango-based agroforestry systems do not necessarily translate into corresponding changes in crop-associated AMF community composition and diversity. Without demonstrating direct benefits, we at least show that mango can be effectively integrated into smallholder maize and cassava production without compromising the AMF communities, while enhancing key soil fertility indicators. Maintaining adequate nitrogen levels while avoiding excessive phosphorus inputs may help sustain stable AMF communities in agroforestry systems.