ISSN 2756-3367
African Journal of Ecology and Ecosystems ISSN: 2756-3367 Vol. 8 (8), pp. 001-009, August, 2021. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Ectomycorrhizal mushroom yield association with woody species and leaf litter in amiombo woodland, central Zimbabwe
Alec Mlambo⃰ and Mcebisi Maphosa
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Lupane State University, P. O. Box 170, Lupane, Zimbabwe.
Accepted 03 November, 2018
Abstract
Ectomycorrhizal mushrooms (ECM) symbiotic with woody species develop caps in two successive flushes in the rainy season. Sporocarp yieldis influenced by size of woody host and leaf litter density as carbon sources. Yields of four ECM species, and yield associations with basal areas of possible host tree species and ground leaf litter mass were investigated in two different miombo stands. We also compared sporocarp yields of two flushes during the rainy season. We found higher yields (p< 0.05) of L. Kabansus in one site but similar yields of the other ECM between sites; higher yields (p< 0.05) for C. heinemannianus and L. Kabansus in second flushes, and similar flush yields for A. loosii and C. Miomboensis between flushes. We found a weak positive correlation (r = 0.174) and (r = 0.247) between yields of A. Loosii and C. Miomboensis with J. Globiflora basal areas respectively. A negative correlation (r = –0.338) between yield of L. Kabansus and leaf litter mass was also found. We conclude that host species basal area and leaf litter mass do have a relationship with ECM yields in the miombos.
Key words: Basal area, ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, litter, miombo, mushroom flushes, sporocarp yields.