Evaluation of the Effects of Triple PGPR Isolates and Biological Fertilizer Formulations Formed with Different Carriers on Growth Parameters in Pazar-20 Tea Clone

Abstract

This study was established with two-years-old tea seedlings in the Pazar-20 tea clone in pots and eight applications as five different biological fertilizers, triple bacteria combinations (F1, F2, F3, F4 and, F5), one biological fertilizer, NPK fertilization (1400 mg compound 25:5:10/seedling) and control (fertilizer and bacteria not applied) applications, seven carriers as one liquid six solid. It was established with four replications and five seedlings in each replication according to the factorial arrangement (8 applications x 7 carriers) with different carriers. For preliminary evaluations, only plant height, stem diameter and, number of leaves were evaluated without cutting the seedlings. In the experiment, at the end of November 2013, and 2014, seedlings were harvested from equal height, branch+leaf weight, fresh and dry leaf yield, chlorophyll content (SPAD value), and leaf area results were evaluated. Depending on the bacterial inoculations, fertilizer applications, and the carriers used, the inoculated bacterial formulations, fertilizer applications, and carriers significantly affected the stem diameter, plant height, leaf number, branch+leaf weight, fresh and dry leaf weight, chlorophyll content of tea seedlings. According to the carrier averages, mineral fertilization, F1, F2, F5, and biological fertilizer applications, which caused a significant increase in stem diameter, plant height, number of leaves, and chlorophyll content compared to the control, were in the same group. All the selected combinations increased fresh and dry leaf weight compared to the control, and the increasing rates were statistically significant (p≤0.05). According to the average fertilizer application, the liquid carrier gave the most relevant result in terms of measured parameters, followed by solid leonardite, compost, and peat-based carriers, respectively.