Hongos Micorrízicos Arbusculares como Alternativa para el Cultivo Sustentable de Agave Tequilana Weber Var. Azul

Abstract

The cultivation of blue agave (Agave tequilana 
var. azul) has been intensified by its high and growing 
demand, with it, agrochemicals used to treat blue agave crops 
have too. The use agrochemicals in an excessive way can cause 
severe damages to the environment and those, it is necessary 
to explore sustainable alternatives. The use of arbuscular 
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) such as Rizophagus intraradices 
(RI) can help reduce the use of agrochemicals and their 
impact since it provides benefits and advantageous 
characteristics to the plants with which it establishes 
symbiosis (mycorrhiza). The aim of this study was to evaluate 
the colonization percentage of RI inoculated in young agave 
azul plants and in combination with organic and chemical 
fertilizers. An experiment with a completely randomized 
design was conducted, in which, 6 treatments with 16 
repetitions were established. In a preliminary analysis, 3 
plants of each treatment were evaluated 90 days after 
transplantation to determine the percentage of RI 
colonization. Agave plants inoculated only with AMF had an 
intermediate colonization percentage (62.65%), while plants 
inoculated with RI and organic or chemical fertilizers were 
applied, showed higher colonization percentages, especially 
the RI + organic fertilizer treatment (90.28%). These results 
suggest that the use of AMF could be a good alternative to 
change conventional agricultural practices towards more 
sustainable ones.