The effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and vermicompost on growth and chemical composition of pistachio seedlings (Pistacia vera)

Nowadays the application of organic and biological fertilizers has increased regarding to the destructive environmental impacts of applying chemical fertilizers and the high cost of production of them. One of the essential components to achieve the sustainable agriculture is integrated plant nutrition through using organic and biological fertilizers. An experiment was conducted as completely randomized factorial design in the greenhouse of University of Vali-e-Asr to evaluate the effect fluorescent pseudomonads and vermicompost on growth and nutrition of pistachio (Pistacia vera L. var. Qazvini) seedlings. In this experiment Factors included vermicompost at 3 levels (0, 2 and 4 % w/w) and 3 levels of bacteria (Inoculation with two strains of fluorescent pseudomonads and without bacteria). The results showed that use of bacterial isolates significantly increased shoot dry weight, uptake of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and micro elements compared to control. Application of strain D12 increased phosphorus and calcium uptake in shoot respectively 18 and 23 percent compared to control. Also the application of vermicompost significantly increased phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and zinc upkake in shoot compared to control. using vermicompost (4%) increased uptake of potassium and magnesium respectively 20 and 28 percent in shoot. The combined use of D12 and vermicompost (4%) increased iron uptake equivalent 85%. Altogether the results indicated that use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and vermicompost  as an organic fertilizer and also their combined application could be effective on growth and nutrition of Pistachio seedlings.