Evaluation of the growth promoting effect of native microbial community under field conditions

Abstract

The need for an agricultural system in the Mediterranean countries consuming fewer chemicals and respecting the environment becomes a pressing element. The use of natural beneficial microorganisms that enhance soil fertility could be a promising solution. Lebanese Beneficial Microorganisms (LBM) were extracted and evaluated for their capacity of promoting plant growth. Two combinations of LBM were compared to chemical fertilizers: alone (treatment B) or with an organic fertilizer (treatment A). Under field conditions, significant positive effects on height, leaf biomass, and fruit production were obtained starting from day 15 for both tested crops. Treatment A was the most efficient in enhancement of different growth parameters. Hence, <i>Capsicum annuum</i> shoots were 44.4% longer with 99.5% and 51.2% increase in the number of leaves and flowers per plant, respectively. Fruit yield increased over the control by 31.7% in <i>C. annuum</i> and 37.5% in <i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>. However, treatment B exhibited the highest significant values of root length and weight in <i>S. lycopersicum</i>. This study highlights the efficiency of both LBM combinations in the total absence of chemical fertilizers and the increase in their outcome by the addition of organic products. The use of native microbial consortia represents a novel strategy for the development of biofertilizers.