The Utilization of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza to Support Revegetation on Degraded Tropical Peatland of Central Kalimantan

Tropical peatland in Indonesia especially in Central Kalimantan has been degraded due to various factors including repeating fires, illegal logging, and conversion into other land use and inappropriate drainage such as the ex-Mega Rice Project. Efforts to revegetate this area have encountered many obstacles due to nutrient poor peat soil characteristic. Arbuscular mycorrhiza is one of potential soil microbes that can be utilized as plant growth-booster in bio-rehabilitation technology particularly in degraded land. However, this bio-rehabilitation-technology has not been utilized intensively to support revegetation of degraded tropical peatland. This paper aimed to summarize the recent progress on the utilization of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in supporting the plant’s growth of the peatland revegetation efforts. The result showed that arbuscular mycorrhiza application significantly increased plant’s growth and survival rates especially in the nursery stage. However, compatibility between arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal species and host plants was an important factor that determines the success of colonization and its contribution to plant’s growth performance. Appropriate combination of indigenous mycorrhizal fungal species and native peatland plant species needs to be considered for the success of this bio-rehabilitation technology in revegetating degraded tropical peatland.