Efficiency of Bacillus subtilis UFMT-PANT001 as a plant growth-promoting inoculant in soybean in the field

Abstract

Bacteria of the genus Bacillus can be considered plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria because they have the ability to colonize the rhizosphere and promote plant growth. This study aimed to demonstrate the efficiency of Bacillus subtilis UFMT-Pant001 in liquid formulation as an inoculant in promoting soybean plant growth and field yield. Four field experiments were conducted in the municipalities of Gurupi (Tocantins state), Campo Verde and Alta Floresta (Mato Grosso State), which had some distinct soil and climate characteristics, in the 2016/2017 harvest. In all experiments, for the treatments with B. subtilis UFMT-Pant001, the selected product with plant growth-promoting potential was used in liquid formulation, at a minimum concentration of 1 x 109 CFU mL-1. The inoculation of B. subtilis UFMT-Pant001 increased the biomass and yield of the different soybean cultivars under field conditions in Gurupi, Campo Verde and Alta Floresta in the 2016/16/2017 harvest. Considering the different field experiments with the doses tested, there were positive results starting at dose of 200 mL per 50 kg of seed. Thus, a dose of 200 to 300 mL of the B. subtilis UFMT-Pant001 inoculant at a concentration of 1 x 109 CFU mL-1 is recommended. The B. subtilis strain UFMT-Pant001 should be recommended as an inoculant to promote plant growth in soybean at a dose of 200 to 300 mL and a minimum concentration of 1 x 109 CFU mL-1 per 50 kg of seed.