Effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on yield, growth and nutrient contents of organically grown strawberry

The effects of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on the fruit yield, growth and nutrient element content of strawberry cv. Fern were investigated under organic growing conditions between 2006 and 2008. The experimental plot was a completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Three PGPB strains (Pseudomonas BA-8, Bacillus OSU-142 and Bacillus M-3) were used alone or in combination as biofertilizer agent in the experiment. Data through 3 years showed that the use of PGPB significantly increased fruit yield, plant growth and leaf P and Zn contents. Root inoculation of M3 and floral and foliar spraying of OSU-142 and BA-8 bacteria stimulated plant growth resulting in significant yield increases. M3 + BA-8, BA-8 + OSU-142, M3, M3 + OSU-142 and BA-8 applications increased cumulative yield by 33.2%, 18.4%, 18.2%, 15.3% and 10.5%, respectively. Number of fruits per plant significantly increased by the applications of M3 + BA-8 (91.73) and M3 (81.58) compared with the control (68.66). In addition, P and Zn contents of strawberry leaves with bacterial inoculation significantly increased under organic growing conditions. Available P contents in soil were increased from 0.35 kg P2O5/da at the beginning of the study to 2.00, 1.97 and 1.82 kg P2O5/da by M3 + OSU-142, M3 + BA-8 and M3 + BA-8 + OSU-142 applications, respectively. Overall, the results of this study suggest that root inoculation of Bacillus M3 alone or in combination with spraying Bacillus OSU-142 or Pseudomonas BA-8 have the potential to increase the yield, growth and nutrition content of strawberry plant under organic growing conditions

Effects of some growing media on the growth of strawberry cvs. 'Camarosa' and 'Fern'

This study evaluated the development of above and under ground parts of strawberry plants cvs. 'Fern' and 'Camarosa1 in a glasshouse using perlite, forest soil, finpeat, peat, finpeat+perlite (1:1) and peat+perlite (1:1) as substrates. The effects of different growing media on development of above and under ground parts of plant were statistically significant. The highest number of primary roots per plant, length of the most developed roots and number of crowns per runner were obtained from perlite, finpeat+perlite and peat medium, respectively, in both cultivars. The runner length, number of runners per plant, leaf area, fresh root weight and dry root weight varied between cultivars according to growth medium. In general peat, finpeat or finpeat+perlite gave the best results in terms of above and under ground parts of plants in both cultivars. Some important properties such as water retention capacity, cation exchangeable capacity, pH, porosity etc. of growing media using in this study were also determined

Effects of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms on strawberry yield and nutrient concentrations

Phosphorus (P)-solubilizing bacteria and fungi can increase soil-P availability, potentially enhancing crop yield when P is limiting. We studied the effectiveness of Bacillus FS-3 and Aspergillus FS9 in enhancing strawberry (Fragaria x ananasa cv. Fern) yield and mineral content of leaves and fruits on a P-deficient calcareous Aridisol in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The 120 d pot experiment was conducted in three replicates with three treatments (Bacillus FS-3, Aspergillus FS9, control) and five increasing rates of P addition (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200kg P ha(-1)). Fruit yield and nutrient content of fruits and leaves and soil P pools were determined at the end of the experiment. Phosphorus-fertilizer addition increased all soil P fractions. Strawberry yield increased with P addition (quadratic function) reaching a maximum of 94 g pot(-1) at 200 kg P ha(-1) in the absence of P-solubilizing microorganisms. At this yield level, Bacillus FS-3 and Aspergillus FS9 inoculation resulted in P-fertilizer savings of 149 kg P ha(-1) and 102 kg P ha(-1), respectively. Both microorganisms increased yields beyond the maximum achievable yield with sole P-fertilizer addition. Microorganism inoculation increased fruit and leaf nutrient concentrations (NI, P, K, Ca, and Fe) with the largest increases upon addition of Bacillus FS-3. We conclude that Bacillus FS-3 and Aspergillus FS9 show great promise as yield-enhancing soil amendments in P-deficient calcareous soils of Turkey. However, moderate additions of P fertilizer (50-100 kg ha(-1)) are required for highest yield