The Effect of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria on Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Corylus avellana Seedlings

The effects of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and physiological characteristics of seedlings Corylus avellana were determined in a forest nursery. For this purpose, in a completely randomized design (CRD) and four replicates, three putative bacteria, including Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter cloacae, as alone and mixed, were examined. The greatest height (26.88 cm), collar diameter (7.11 mm), leaf area (23.87 cm2)net photosynthesis (17.23μmol CO2 m−2s−1), transpiration rate (3.22 mmol H2O m−2s−1­(, stomatal conductance (0.189 mol CO2 m−2s−1), water use efficiency (5.33 μmol CO2 mmol−1 H2O) and chlorophyll content (26.16 SPAD) allocated to seedlings inoculated with a combination of three bacteria. The greatest root dry weight (3.98 g), root volume (10.87 cm3), total plant dry weight (9.91g) was detected in seedlings inoculated with P. putida. In total, for the beneficial effects of PGPR on growth and physiological traits of C. avellana seedlings, all three bacteria either as individual or as mixed were found suitable for seedling inoculation. In fact, it is affirmed that inoculation of root with PGPR can be a proper approach to produce healthy and strong seedlings in nursery.