Effect of inoculation of Bacillus strains on flowering of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Abstract

The carnation flower (Dianthus caryophyllus) is one of the most accepted and distributed worldwide, for its production, fertilization and the application of phytohormones have been optmized, thereby seeking to improve flower quality. However, little has been tested on the effect of the application of plant growth promoting bacteria. In the present work, carnation plants cv. Lilliput, were inoculated with 5X107 cells of Bacillus megaterium M6 and Bacillus subtilis P12, both individually and in interaction (M6 x P12), registering agronomic parameters related to flowering. The results showed that none of the inoculations had an effect on the percentage of flowering plants, neither on the height nor the diameter of the flower, only P12 increased flower number per plant by 38 %, compared to the control without inoculation. Being the period between 96 and 127 days after transplantation (dat), where tha highest number of total flowers was recorded (70) with respect to the other treatments (M6:36, M6 x P12: 24 and control: 32). In conclusion, Bacillus subtilis P12 has a promoter activity to improve the flowering of carnation plants.