This study aimed to optimize a cost-effective method for the mass multiplication of Funneliformis mosseae and Acaulospora laevis by evaluating different host plants and agro-industrial by-products. A controlled polyhouse pot experiment was conducted using a two-factor design with three cereal hosts (maize, barley, and wheat) and two de-oiled cake substrates (groundnut meal and soybean meal) applied at five concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 g per 2 kg soil: sand mix). Results showed that both host type and substrate concentration significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced spore production and root colonization. For both fungal species, maize was the most effective host when grown with groundnut meal, with an optimal concentration of 50 g (T3), producing the highest spore counts (201.2 for F. mosseae and 113.4 for A. laevis per 10 g soil) and root colonization (94.46% and 92.21%, respectively). When using soybean meal, barley was the superior host for F. mosseae at a 75 g concentration (T4), yielding 227.4 spores. For A. laevis with soybean meal, maize was the preferred host at 75 g (T4), producing 200.4 spores. These findings demonstrate that combining specific cereal hosts with nutrient-rich oilseed meals provides an effective and sustainable strategy for producing AM fungal inoculum.
