Cassava Cultivation under Abiotic Stress: Emphasis on Waterlogging Tolerance Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

Author(s): Branly Wilfrid Effa Effa, Dick Sadler Demikoyo Khangou, Stéphane Mibemu Guibinga, François Ndjelassili, Mesmin N’dong Biyo’o, Abdala Gamby Diedhiou.

Cassava is a staple food for over 750 million people worldwide mainly in Africa, thus is closely associated with food security. However, in Africa the Congo Basin region receives a high level of rainfall, leading to more or less prolonged waterlogging of the soil. Waterlogging one of the major abiotic causes of constraints in crop production worldwide, could be involved in the reduction of cassava production in Congo Basin. Nevertheless, there are aerobic microbes such as arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), which establish endomycorrhizal symbioses, mutualistic symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. They may enhance host plants nutrient acquisition and protect them also from abiotic stress. AMF diversity in wetland rice roots and in roots of Littorella uniflora submerged in lakes have been postponed. Furthermore, molecular techniques reveal that both terrestrial and aquatic plants can harbor a rich diversity of AMF species in their roots. Cassava is highly mycotrophic. Our review describes the main abiotic stresses faced by cassava, with particular emphasis on waterlogging stress when cassava is associated with AMF. The review suggests possible solutions to enable farmers to maintain acceptable yields despite the occurrence of these various abiotic stresses.