{"id":1227946,"date":"2022-10-18T18:23:30","date_gmt":"2022-10-18T18:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/10\/18\/reviving-a-poisoned-earth-how-a-fungus-is-giving-hope-to-ghanas-contaminated-soil\/"},"modified":"2022-10-18T18:23:30","modified_gmt":"2022-10-18T18:23:30","slug":"reviving-a-poisoned-earth-how-a-fungus-is-giving-hope-to-ghanas-contaminated-soil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/10\/18\/reviving-a-poisoned-earth-how-a-fungus-is-giving-hope-to-ghanas-contaminated-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviving a poisoned earth: How a fungus is giving hope to Ghana\u2019s contaminated soil"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Millions of acres of land in Ghana are devastated by illegal mining or \u2018galamsey\u2019 activities.<\/p>\n

The International Growth Centre (IGC) estimates 250 million dollars will be needed to reclaim the illegal-mining-devastated lands in the Western region of Ghana alone.<\/p>\n

With sustainable management of the soil becoming crucial, a group of scientists in Ghana and Germany are using a fungus to bring life back to Ghana\u2019s degraded soils.<\/p>\n

At an abandoned land at Enumso, a farming community in the Asante Akim Central District of the Ashanti region of Ghana, the plant Tropical kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides) <\/em>exerts invasive growth habit pushing back the surrounding grasses and weeds. Not even the Mimosa pudica<\/em> with its known creeping fame could pick a race.<\/p>\n

Six years ago, when Tropical kudzu hadn\u2019t set a node and vine in this area, illegal miners had made waste of the land.<\/p>\n

Their activities stripped the land of its nutrients and exposed it to patchy mercury contamination. Mercury is used for gold extraction.<\/p>\n

However, waiting for the soil to regain its prowess can take many years. Therefore, a PhD student from University of Hohenheim (Germany), Enoch Opoku, thought of ways to accelerate the process using selected plant species to restore ecosystem services and make it useful again for crop production.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realized illegal mining degraded vast area of land. So after mining, it\u2019s important that we reclaimed the site, and if we allow the site to revegetate by itself, it\u2019ll take many years.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we thought that there are some leguminous plant species that have the potential to increase soil fertility, so farmers can use the area again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He therefore introduced a leguminous plant species, Pueraria phaseoloides<\/em> in addition to three other plants, that are, Gliricidia sepium<\/em>, Leucaena leucocephala and<\/em> Mucuna pruriens. Mucuna <\/em>was, however, dropped because of its annual life cycle.<\/p>\n

The main aim was to increase the soil carbon and also help fix nitrogen into the soils.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the soil is excavated and washed, soil organic matter is lost, so we need to increase the soil organic matter so that the soil will become fertile again.<\/p>\n

The plant species show considerable ability to fix nitrogen into the soil,\u201d Mr. Opoku said.<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
The illegal-mining site given a new life with Pueraria phaseoloides<\/em>, Gliricidia sepium<\/em>, Leucaena leucocephala. <\/em>Photo: Kwasi Debrah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A special soil bacterial species called Rhizobium help the leguminous plant by extracting nitrogen from the air, while the plant helps the bacteria grow by supplying carbon. It is like, the bacteria which is found in the soil invade the roots and construct rounded houses called nodules on them, through the houses, the bacteria bring nitrogen to the plant which the plant cannot ordinarily acquire on their own and the plant repays the bacteria with food which is carbon. It is a perfect interdependence!<\/p>\n

Mr. Opoku is happy with results as the soil has been enriched with organic matter making the soil darker.<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
Soil taken from the reclaimed mining site (right) against soil from illegal mining site (left) Photo: Kwasi Debrah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Under the programme \u201cCLIENT II \u2013 International Partnerships for Sustainable Innovations\u201d financed by the Federal Ministry of Research and Education of Germany, the Hans-Ruthenberg Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics of the University of Hohenheim and INOQ GmbH in Germany, are collaborating with the Crops Research Institute of Ghana in research and development.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith our collaborative project Mercury-AMF, we aim to develop sustainable and applicable plant-based technologies for soil fertility restoration and mercury reclamation (phytoremediation) of Ghanaian mining sites,\u201d the project leader and agroecologist Prof. Dr. Frank Rasche of University of Hohenheim explained.<\/p>\n

Led by a PhD student from University of Hohenheim, Nadine Sommer, the scientists selected Acacia mangium<\/em> and Leuceana leucocephala<\/em> as promising plant candidates.<\/em><\/p>\n

Though Leuceana leucocephala <\/em>led in the volume of organic matter produced, Acacia mangium<\/em> was superior in terms of mercury salvaging.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>At the end, I was stuck with Acacia mangium and Leucena leucocephela.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLeuceana leucocephala<\/em> produces much biomass, but Acacia mangium<\/em> needs a bit more time to produce this biomass but it accumulates very huge amount of mercury. It\u2019s not a hyper accumulator but a good accumulator of mercury,\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n

Fungi may not hesitate to invade a dead or living plant, making naught of it, but in situations where they fall in love with each other, it becomes interesting to know the mutual gains.<\/p>\n

Agape may refer to a true love affair between God and men but for green plants and fungi, it is called symbiosis.<\/p>\n

Mycorrhizas, an important group of soil fungi, prefer to latch onto the plant\u2019s roots, supplying water and vital nutrients to the plant, while the plant supplies the fungi with sugars. In this affair, sorry, it\u2019s not about emotions but food.<\/p>\n

Though some fungi may prefer to make do on the surface, others would like to penetrate deep into the plant root cells. These are known as Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF).<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
Schematic representation of brief function of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF): At the left portion (A),the zone around the plant root without AM colonization represents the limited absorptive surface area for nutrient and water for plant; In contrast, right side (B) the zone around the plant root with extensive AM network (mycorrhizosphere) represents the extended absorptive surface for nutrient and water for plant; In the rightmost part of the figure representing the comparative exploration pattern of plant root and the fungal hyphae into the soil (C). Plant root with larger diameter unable to access through fine pores into the soil particles, AMF hyphae being finer able to explore through finer soil pores (i) and absorb water from lower water potential (ii). Image & text: D. Kuila and S. Ghosh<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Capitalising on Mr. Opoku\u2019s flourishing illegal mining reclaimed site, the German project partners picked a soil and root sample and isolated an AMF candidate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur industry partner INOQ GmbH characterized the candidate and tested it for its functional potential to survive under heavy metal exposure and support mercury uptake by plants,\u201d Prof. Rasche said.<\/p>\n

The isolated AMF candidate has been shown in research in the September 2021 edition of the Chemical Engineering Journal in cleaning up illegal mining sites bedeviled with chromium.<\/p>\n

Another PhD student from University of Hohenheim, Yaqin Guo decided to bring Pueraria phaseoloides<\/em> and the discovered AMF together to see how they can rid a contaminated soil of mercury.<\/p>\n

She found that AMF help the plant to absorb the mercury and ensures optimum growth of the plant.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnder low concentration of mercury, this AMF can help plants store this mercury while inhibiting translocation from the roots to the above-ground plant.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the mercury is high, AMF help plants to perform better and also increase translocation and distribution to the stem which is another purpose for clean soil,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Ms. Guo\u2019s results have been corroborated in a Ghanaian study led by Dr. Beloved Dzomeku of the Crops Research Institute using Acacia mangium and Leucaena leucocephala.<\/em><\/p>\n

A set up involving the selected plants in degraded soil, degraded soil with mercury, degraded soil with AMF and degraded soil, mercury and AMF was instituted.<\/p>\n

The plants treated with AMF developed an extensive root system and exhibited enhanced growth as compared to the non-mycorrhizal plants despite the presence of mercury.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overall positive effect of AMF is clearly visible. And this also shows that we have better root growth helping biomass production of the plant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contrast is clearly seen with the non-AMF treated plants,\u201d Prof. Rasche emphasized.<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
Leucaena leucocephala<\/em> planted in degraded soil (1st<\/sup> left), degraded soil with mercury (2nd <\/sup>left), degraded soil with AMF and degraded soil (2nd<\/sup> right), mercury and AMF (1st<\/sup> right) Photo: Kwasi Debrah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going back to Enumso<\/strong><\/p>\n

Triumphing in the pots, it has become essential the Enumso-originated AMF is brought back to its roots so that the natives would appreciate its charisma on degraded environment.<\/p>\n

The scientists have therefore been meeting the chiefs and elders of the town to apprise them of the results and discuss ways to scale it up.<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
The scientists will be using their responses to further develop ideas for sustainable solutions to enhance soil fertility and decontaminate mercury from mining sites. Photo: Kwasi Debrah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the farmers, Kofi Agyei was happy there\u2019s hope for degraded lands in their community.<\/p>\n

He wants intense sensitization to lift the hope of the people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve now realised that it\u2019s not too late. We\u2019re asking the scientists to come to the communities and tell them all is not lost,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Reviving
Illegal-mining affected farmer, Kofi Agyei is hopeful their lands will be restored back to its former state. Photo: Kwasi Debrah<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Dzomeku believes there is \u201cthe potential to develop this AMF on a commercial scale and use it on illegal mining sites.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the indigenous AMF can be used in our communities to revitalize the soil and make the soil better for agricultural purposes\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another PhD student from University of Hohenheim, Ferdinand Adu-Baffour also concurs, aside from a look at the legal framework, the economic potential of the initiative will encourage community participation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere should be a policy targeting contaminated lands and this must be specific to contaminants, reducing levels of danger that it causes to human health and the ecology.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunity members and land owners will not be interested if there\u2019s no business side to all these. This will be a motivating factor for them to involve themselves in this activity,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Therefore, Prof. Rasche is hinting, the team will among others be engaging nurseries to develop plantlets for farmers, build knowledge capacity and set the seed for entrepreneurships of young people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe may contact nurseries to develop the plantlets which are necessary for farmers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll engage in the training and learning processes for young people, farmer teaching and we\u2019ll use our industry partner INOQ GmbH in Germany who have the capacity to develop training programmes for interested stakeholders. Developed out of the project, this may lead to new business models and boost opportunities on entrepreneurship for young people,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

As both the Ghanaian and German governments are perplexed at ways to reclaim the land, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and leguminous trees give hope for an effective and sustainable and less costly technology to revitalize Ghana\u2019s degraded lands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Millions of acres of land in Ghana are devastated by illegal mining or \u2018galamsey\u2019 activities. The International Growth Centre (IGC) estimates 250 million dollars will be needed to reclaim the illegal-mining-devastated lands in the Western region of Ghana alone. With sustainable management of the soil becoming crucial, a group of scientists in Ghana and Germany […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1227951,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[27272,9261,25057,250,826,4865,6775,6635,12278],"class_list":{"0":"post-1227946","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-contaminated","9":"tag-earth","10":"tag-fungus","11":"tag-ghanas","12":"tag-giving","13":"tag-hope","14":"tag-poisoned","15":"tag-reviving","16":"tag-soil"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1227946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1227946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1227946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1227946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1227946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1227946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}