Evaluación del efecto de un consorcio de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares sobre la absorción de cadmio en plántulas de cacao (Theobroma cacao) variedad Nacional criollo en condiciones controladas

Abstract

Abstract: Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is one of Ecuador's main export products whose destination is international markets that recently established a limit on the presence of cadmium in the fruit. In this context, alternatives that allow to reduce the concentration of cadmium present in many soils, in which cocoa is grown, are needed. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of a consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the absorption of cadmium sulfate. For this, a completely randomized design with 12 treatments and 10 replications was established to evaluate the effect of the concentration of the AMF inoculum, using the commercial product Orgevit (0%, 50%, 100% and 200%) and the addition of sulfate of cadmium (0, 3 and 6 mg/kg). The results show that treatments with AMF (Orgevit) inoculum are the ones that translocate the least amount of cadmium from the root to the foliage. Results are possibly influenced by the composition of Orgevit and not only by the sole effect of the AMF consortium.