Abstract

ANDRADE-SIFUENTES, Alfonso et al. Promotion of saladette tomato growth with Bacillus cereus and solarized manure in greenhouse. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2022, vol.13, n.7, pp.1259-1270.  Epub Nov 22, 2022. ISSN 2007-0934.  https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v13i7.3120.

In the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico, there are greenhouses and shade houses devoted to growing tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.), with high productivity. The search for alternatives to improve production and meet the demand for healthy foods has recently begun. The objective of the work was to characterize a bacterium isolated from the endorhizosphere of tomato plants and evaluate its combined use with solarized manure to promote tomato growth and yield under greenhouse conditions. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus cereus by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene and showed the ability to solubilize phosphates (solubilization halo 5.123 ±0.702 mm), produce siderophores (halo 6.54 mm) and indoleacetic acid (5.9 μg ml-1). In a greenhouse, seeds of tomato variety saladette TOP 2299 were inoculated with B. cereus at a concentration of 1 ×108 CFU ml-1 and 46 days after sowing, the seedlings were transplanted into soil enriched with solarized manure at the rate of 0, 40, 80 t ha-1, or with chemical fertilization (N-P-K 366-95-635). The results show that the application of B. cereus + 40 t ha-1 of solarized manure has a positive influence on tomato plants as it promoted greater height (16%), more root volume (42%) and increases in yield (20%).

Keywords : Solanum lycopersicum; biofertilization; rhizobacteria; sustainable agriculture.