Pseudomonas fluorescens and Azospirillum brasilense increase yield and fruit quality of tomato cultivated in field conditions

PÉREZ-RODRÍGUEZ MM; PONTIN M; LIPINSKI V; BOTTINI R; PICCOLI P; ANZUAY MS; COHEN AC

Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

SPRINGER

Año: 2020

0718-9516

Tomato is one of the most important horticultural crops worldwide. As it is intensively cultured agrochemicals are used to optimize yield. An alternative to diminish employ of fertilizers is by using plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Little is known however if tomato crop production may be improved by inoculation with PGPR. In this work inoculation at seedling stage of two tomato industry varieties with Pseudomonas fluorescens Rt6M10, Azospirillum brasilense Az39, and the consortium of both, were tested against chemical-fertilization of seedlings and no-fertilization. Seedlings were then transplanted to the field, drip irrigated and cultured as farmers do. Inoculation increased seedlings DW so augmenting tolerance to transplant stress. At harvest, stem diameter, number and FW of fruits per plant, as well as firmness and equatorial and polar fruit diameter were increased in all treatments inoculated with PGPR respect to the control. Plants coming from fertilized seedlings showed intermediate values. Thus, inoculation with Rt6M10 and/or Az39 showed useful to improve seedling transplant, which in turn may reduce and even replace chemical fertilization, without affecting fruit yield and quality of industrial tomato leading to economic and environmental benefits in sustainable agriculture