influence of biochar on phosphorus uptake and retention in Zea mays cultivated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

Phosphorus is one of the major nutrient bases for improving soil fertility and increasing crop production. This study was conducted to examine the effects of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on phosphorus retention in soil planted with maize. Biochar was assigned at two levels: 0 and 50 mg/kg, and two strains of mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices) at 0 and 50 g per pot. The treatment includes: no AMF/no biochar (control- CK), biochar amendment (B), Glomus mosseae (GM), Glomus intraradices (GI), the combined application of biochar and inoculation with Glomus mosseae (B+GM), and biochar and inoculation with Glomus intraradices (B+GI), respectively. The results showed that biochar and inoculation with mycorrhizal (GI or GM) relatively increased root and shoot dry biomass compared to non-inoculated plants. The combined application of biochar and mycorrhizal inoculation significantly elevated the different pools of phosphorus (P) in the soil, including available phosphorus and microbial biomass phosphorus, respectively, compared to the non-inoculated. The use of biochar and inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi inferred an increase in phosphorus uptake in maize plants. Percentage colonization was significantly affected by the combination of biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.  This highlights the potential beneficial effects of utilizing AMF and biochar for increasing  phosphorus concentration in soil and enhancing phosphorus uptake in plants.