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Research paper

The effect of biochar and consortia of beneficial bacteria on the occurrence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in cultivation of cucumber, strawberry and apple plants

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326.asphc.2026.5565
Submitted: 3 July 2025
Published: 05.05.2026

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of newly developed microbial consortia on the degree of colonization of cucumber, strawberry, and apple roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and to determine the number of spores of these fungi in the rhizosphere soil. The following strains of beneficial bacteria were used in the 3 consortia: 1 – Bacillus licheniformis TES10B3, TES5B21, GOS10B9; Streptomyces sp. GOS5B1, 2 – Pseudomonas sp. Pi22B, Pi25C., Klebsiella sp. NAzot2, 3 – Priestia sp. TES5B10C, GOS5B22; Bacillus licheniformis GOS10B151. All consortia have been enriched with biochar. It was found that the use of Consortium 2 with biochar had a significant effect on increasing the colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Consortium 3 significantly increased the formation of mycorrhizal fungi spores in the rhizosphere soil in 2023, while in the following year the highest spore count was observed in the soil after the application of Consortium 2 with biochar. This beneficial effect makes both biochar and bacterial consortia recommended in the cultivation of horticultural plants to improve their growth and development and to improve the quality of soils, especially those that are poor in organic matter. Consortium 2 is recommended as a biostimulant for growing fruit and vegetable plants.

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