EVALUATION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA FUNGI ON MORPHOPHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF COMMON BEAN (Phaseolues vulgaris L.) VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT MOISTURE CONDITIONS

Abstract

Common bean is a suitable crop for food security due to its short growing cycle and adaptability to different cropping systems. However, its productivity is limited by factors such as moisture stress. To mitigate such effect, soil amendments with beneficial symbiotic rhizosphere microbes such as Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is one of the strateg ies. Hence, this experiment was aimed at evaluating the effect of AMF on moisture stress tolerance and nutrient uptake of three common bean varieties. A pot experiment was conducted from June to September 2024 at Hawassa University College of Agriculture in a Shade house. The experiment used three common bean varieties, SER-119, Dame, and Awash Metene; AMF inoculation and two moisture conditions (80% FC and 40% FC) as a combined treatment. The experiment was executed as a factorial arrangement using a completely randomized design with three replications. The results of this study indicated that the main effect of moisture stress, variety and AMF, and their interaction had a significant impact on most of the phenological, morpho -physiology, nutrient uptake, microbial traits and yield and yield components of common beans. Even though almost all parameters significantly decreased under 40% FC, the AMF inoculation significantly improved seed emergence, days to 50% flowering, pod setting and physiological maturity under moisture stress conditions at 40 % FC. Similarly, the stem and leaf traits are significantly affected by the inoculation of AMF under moisture -stressed conditions. Physiological responses mainly Photosynthesis rate, stomata conductance, chlo rophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, transpiration rate and stomata length were improved by AMF inoculation under 40 % FC. Yield and yield components, specifically pod length, thousand seed weight, seed weight, number of seed s per pod, total above ground biomass fresh weight, total above ground biomass and total below ground fresh weight were enhanced by AMF inoculation under 40 % FC. Tissue nitrogen was also enhanced by AMF under 040%FC. Overall, the study found that even though highest values were recorded under 80% FC with AMF treatment, the presence of AMF significantly improved the response of the verities under stress conditions at 40% FC