AeroHydro Culture is that the surface water of the peat remains high, so that carbon
emissions can be reduced to minimum, and can minimize forest fires in peatland
during the dry season. In AeroHydro Culture, the nutrients are supplied from land
surface using natural organic materials (plus mineral nutrients in this preliminary
trials). However, finally all the materials from the natural materials, nutrient
leaching, and pollution decrease drastically, which contribute to nutrient cycling.
To enhance the productivity of trees growing in peatland, AeroHydro Culture
applies a variety of energy (carbohydrates) inputs that stimulate the growth of
young breath roots growing in high GWL and flooded peatland. This stimulation
is expected to regenerate many aerial roots in each tree species, so that it could
absorb nutrients to increase the biomass of forest trees. There are several important
technological inputs integrated, such as the microbiological side introduced into the
inoculant fungi of AM fungi, ECM fungi, and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria
(PGPR). From the aspect of organic nutrition, organic ripe compost is added, the
availability of fertilizers, especially macro- and microelements, is very limited in
TPE. Some media such as a peat can be used as ECM and AM fungi propagation
media. Indonesia also has abundant coco-peat ingredients which can be used as
seedling media in nurseries. This material can be utilized as a substitute for the peat
to create organic pot media and can be used as a host for microbes such as
mycorrhizal fungi and PGPR.
8.5 Mycorrhizal Inoculation Process to Support AeroHydro
Culture
Mycorrhizal inoculation generally starts from seed germination of forest plants in a
nursery. Mycorrhizal inoculants are given in the form of tablets, alginate or granular
mycorrhizal spores as the seeds germinate in sterilized planting media (Turjaman
et al. 2008, 2011). The utilization of indigenous AM fungi is better and suitable in
TPE to keep the biodiversity of the microbes underground. Some isolates of AM
fungi have been collected, the origin of which is from Sumatra (Fig. 8.1) and
Kalimantan (Fig. 8.2). They originated from different indigenous tree species. Isolates of AM fungi are not a specific host; sometimes an isolate of AM fungi could
colonize with many host trees, and they have different growth response. Mass
production of AM fungi can be done in a greenhouse with Pueraria javanica or
Sorghum bicolor as a host of AM fungi in the greenhouse (Fig. 8.3). AM fungi
product can mix with 2–4 species, which we call a consortium of AM fungi
inoculant. The consortium inoculant can be applied to some forest tree species;
there are more chances to obtain good colonization with different AM species. This
process has been common for producing seedlings in Indonesia’s tropical forests.
The process of AM fungi colonization in fast-growing pioneer plants such as sengon
(Paraserianthes moluccana), gmelina (Gmelina arborea), akasia (Acacia
crassicarpa), and pulai (Alstonia scholaris) can be observed after 3–4 months in a
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
291
emissions can be reduced to minimum, and can minimize forest fires in peatland
during the dry season. In AeroHydro Culture, the nutrients are supplied from land
surface using natural organic materials (plus mineral nutrients in this preliminary
trials). However, finally all the materials from the natural materials, nutrient
leaching, and pollution decrease drastically, which contribute to nutrient cycling.
To enhance the productivity of trees growing in peatland, AeroHydro Culture
applies a variety of energy (carbohydrates) inputs that stimulate the growth of
young breath roots growing in high GWL and flooded peatland. This stimulation
is expected to regenerate many aerial roots in each tree species, so that it could
absorb nutrients to increase the biomass of forest trees. There are several important
technological inputs integrated, such as the microbiological side introduced into the
inoculant fungi of AM fungi, ECM fungi, and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria
(PGPR). From the aspect of organic nutrition, organic ripe compost is added, the
availability of fertilizers, especially macro- and microelements, is very limited in
TPE. Some media such as a peat can be used as ECM and AM fungi propagation
media. Indonesia also has abundant coco-peat ingredients which can be used as
seedling media in nurseries. This material can be utilized as a substitute for the peat
to create organic pot media and can be used as a host for microbes such as
mycorrhizal fungi and PGPR.
8.5 Mycorrhizal Inoculation Process to Support AeroHydro
Culture
Mycorrhizal inoculation generally starts from seed germination of forest plants in a
nursery. Mycorrhizal inoculants are given in the form of tablets, alginate or granular
mycorrhizal spores as the seeds germinate in sterilized planting media (Turjaman
et al. 2008, 2011). The utilization of indigenous AM fungi is better and suitable in
TPE to keep the biodiversity of the microbes underground. Some isolates of AM
fungi have been collected, the origin of which is from Sumatra (Fig. 8.1) and
Kalimantan (Fig. 8.2). They originated from different indigenous tree species. Isolates of AM fungi are not a specific host; sometimes an isolate of AM fungi could
colonize with many host trees, and they have different growth response. Mass
production of AM fungi can be done in a greenhouse with Pueraria javanica or
Sorghum bicolor as a host of AM fungi in the greenhouse (Fig. 8.3). AM fungi
product can mix with 2–4 species, which we call a consortium of AM fungi
inoculant. The consortium inoculant can be applied to some forest tree species;
there are more chances to obtain good colonization with different AM species. This
process has been common for producing seedlings in Indonesia’s tropical forests.
The process of AM fungi colonization in fast-growing pioneer plants such as sengon
(Paraserianthes moluccana), gmelina (Gmelina arborea), akasia (Acacia
crassicarpa), and pulai (Alstonia scholaris) can be observed after 3–4 months in a
8 The Role of Mycorrhizal Fungi for Supporting AeroHydro Culture in Tropical. . .
291