From Fungus to Fertilizer: Unleashing the Biofertilizer Potential of Aspergillus niger for Improved Maize Productivity
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Abstract
Aspergillus niger, a fungus notorious for causing postharvest rot in Annona squamosa (sweetsop) fruits, has been discovered to play a dual role in agriculture. This research explores the dual role of A. niger: its involvement in sweetsop rot and its potential to boost Zea mays (maize) growth as a biofertilizer. The fungus was isolated using Standard Blotter Method and pure culture, was obtained on Potatoes Dextrose Agar (PDA). Morphological and molecular study (ITS-1 and 2 markers) identified A. niger (95.89% DNA similarity) and Rhizoplaca sp. (98.11% similarity) as the causative agents of sweetsop rot in Rivers State, Nigeria. A. niger was isolated and tested on maize (Oba Super 6) in a greenhouse using different doses: (20, 30, and 40 ml/bucket) at 0.08 spores/ml, controls that had no inoculation, and poultry manure (standard). The 30 ml A. niger treatment demonstrated notable efficacy in promoting maize growth, yielding a plant height of 91.6 cm, which represents a 52% increase over the control (60.3 cm). This performance was comparable to poultry manure (95.0 cm), a standard treatment. Notably, the 30 ml A. niger dose also resulted in the longest root length (24.1 cm), significantly outperforming other treatments (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the 30 ml A. niger treatment is effective in enhancing both shoot and root growth, positioning it as a potential eco-friendly biofertilizer. A. niger shows promise as both a pathogen and an eco-friendly biofertilizer, boosting crop growth while reducing chemical use and environmental impact. Incorporating A. niger into farming practices is recommended to improve yields and promote eco-friendly food production methods, contributing to sustainable agriculture and reduced chemical usage.
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