Effect of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria and Spent Mushroom Compost on Growth and Yield of Tomato)Lycopersicon esculentum(

In order to investigate the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria inoculation and spent mushroom compost on growth and yield of tomato cv orgon, a factorial pot experiment based on completely randomized design with four replications was conducted in the research greenhouse of Mohaghegh Ardabili University during 2011-12. Experimental treatments were: inoculation of tomato seed with rhizobacteria strain(Pseudomonas flourescens, Pseudomonas putida, Azospirillum lipoferum and Azospirillum sp) and spent mushroom at the rate of 0, 20, 40 and 60% in basal growth medium. Results revealed that inoculation of tomato seeds with plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria and substitution of spent mushroom compost had significant effect on traits such as shoot and root dry weight, tomato plant height, fruit number, diameter, and yield and day to anthesis. The highest value for most of the traits were obtained by inoculation of tomato seeds with Pseudomonas flurescens 22 in growth mediums containing 20% substitution of spent mushroom compost.The results of this research showed that large quantities of spent mushroom compost had negative effects on growth indices and performance of the tomato plant