Association of Bacillus subtilis 34 and soil conditioner for promoting growth in okra plants

Spatial and temporal distribution of water resources is uneven in arid and semiarid regions, consequently affecting the growth and production of vegetables, mainly when combined with high temperatures. Therefore, improving water use efficiency is an urgent issue for growing crops in regions with such characteristics. The use of cellulose-based water retainer polymers combined with growth-promoting rhizobacteria can induce the plant tolerance to water deficit and promote plant growth. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combined application of Bacillus subtilis isolate 34 and a cellulose-based water-retaining polymer (WRP) on the growth of okra plants. B. subtilis-34 was grown in a rice culture medium with and without WRP. A greenhouse experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with four treatments (B. subtilis-34 + WRP, B. subtilis-34, WRP, and control) and eight replications. No significant difference was found for growth of B. subtilis-34 in rice culture medium with and without WRP (p?0.05). All analyzed variables in okra plants subjected to application of B. subtilis-34 + WRP (p?0.05) showed higher results. The combined application of B. subtilis-34 and WRP promoted higher development of okra plants.   Key words: Abelmoschus esculentus, rhizobacteria, sustainability, water-retaining polymer.