Bacillus sp. Strain Fo03, a Phosphate Solubilizing Bacterial Strain, Promotes Potato Growth and Decrease Inorganic Fertilizer

Abstract

Biofertilizers are a sustainable biotechnological alternative for decreasing use of inorganic fertilizer. Some bacterial strains, such as Bacillus pumilus, can solubilize phosphates, making them available to crops such as potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Citlali). In this paper was studied the effect of B. pumilus Fo03, a phosphate solubilizer bacterial strain, on the growth promotion, production, and sprouting of potatoes under greenhouse conditions, compared with inorganic fertilizer. Five treatments were assayed: NPK 100 % (T1), NK 100 % (T2), B. pumilus Fo03, BP (T3), BP + NPK 50 % (T4), and BP + NK 50 % (T5). The parameters evaluated were plant height, fresh and dry weights, number of internodes, SPAD values, fresh weight of tubers, total number of tubers, number of tubers with diameters greater than or equal to 15 mm, length and width of sprouts. Treatments T1 and T4 showed a similarity in plant height (21.65 cm, 20.95 cm), number of internodes (12.42, 13.11), fresh weight (9.97 g, 5.53 g) and dry weight (1.87 g, 1.08 g) respectively. The tuber fresh weight (g), number of total tubers, tuber diameter ≥ 15 mm, and sprout width were statistically significant in T4 compared to the treatment with B. pumilus Fo03. The highlight result was the effect combined of B. pumilus Fo03 and the half dose of mineral fertilizer (NPK 50 %) for having good yield of potato cultivation (growth, production and sprouting), providing to farmers an alter-native response for decreasing use of inorganic fertilizers. The use of B. pumilus as biofertilizer may have a promising effect on the quality of potatoes, particularly in sprout length and width.