YIELD AND GROWTH RESPONSE OF STRAWBERRY TO PLANT GROWTH-PROMOTING RHIZOBACTERIA INOCULATION

This study was conducted to examine the effect of inoculation of plant growth-promotion Rhizobacteria (PGPR) on phenological data, total yield and fruit quality characteristics of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch) cv. 'Fern' during 2006 and 2007. All bacterial root inoculations significantly increased yield per plant (1.98-20.85%), average fruit weight (3.05-19.26%) and first quality fruit ratio (10.30-32.05%) compared to control, whereas the bacterial inoculations did not affect leaf area, first flowering and harvest dates in strawberry cv. 'Fern'. The bacteria also increased soluble solid content (SSC) and vitamin C in strawberry cv. 'Fern'. The vitamin C contents of fruits ranged from 47.41 mg 100 g(-1) (control) to 53.88 mg 100 g(-1) (RC05), while SSC values varied between 10.16% (control) and 12.83% (RC01). Results of this study show that RC19 (Bacillus simplex), RC05 (Paenibacillus polymyxa), and RC23 (Bacillus spp.) have the potential to increase the yield and growth of strawberries.