Study on potential mechanisms influencing the growth of raspberry and strawberry plants showed that the most active was Bacillus sp. strain AF75BC producing IAA and siderophores, and having the ability to release phosphorus. The latter feature was also present in the strains Sp115AD (B. subtilis) and SP116AC (Paenibacillus polymyxa). Two of the tested strains: SP116AC and JaFGU (Lysobacter sp.) showed the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, while the AF75AB2 (Bacillus sp.) produced siderophores and IAA. All strains showed an antagonism toward the most important pathogens of strawberry and raspberry, i.e. Verticillium dahliae, Botrytis cinerea, Phytophthora cactorum and Colletotrichum acutatum, limiting their growth to a different extent on the PDA medium. Inoculation of raspberry roots with the tested bacteria resulted in an increase of some growth parameters of their above-ground part in cv. Poemat. In the case of cv. Polana, a significant increase was found only in the chlorophyll content in the leaves. All the inoculants caused an increase in dry mass of roots in cv. Polana, and in cv. Poemat similar effect was observed after applying Inoculants 1 and 3. The treatments of strawberry roots with any of the inoculants resulted in a significant increase in the total leaf surface area in cv. Rumba, but they had no effect on the chlorophyll content in the leaves of either cultivar. All the inoculants significantly increased the total length of roots and their total surface area in cv. Rumba. This parameter also increased in cv. Elsanta, and the number of root tips also significantly increased in this cultivar. Our study showed that the tested inocula is a promising alternative as a bio-fertilizer for small fruit production in sustainable and organic agricultural systems.
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