The effect of bacteria on development and nutrient content of tulip (Tulipa spp.) grown in lead contaminated environment

In this study, a randomized complete block design with three replications and five pots per replication was employed to investigate the effects of NPK and selected bacterial species on the growth and nutrient content of Tulipa gesneriana 'Tulipa 'Pretty Love' plants grown in a lead-contaminated environment. In the experimental setup, tulip bulbs were treated with a dose of 15:15:15 N:P:K commercial fertilizer in the planting substrate. As a bioorganic fertilizer inoculated onto the bulbs, Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) including PGPB1=TV53D Brevibacillus choshinensis, PGPB2=KF58B Brevibacterium frigoritolerans, and PGPB3=KF3B Paenarthrobacter nitroguajacolicus were used. The analysis of various nutrient elements in plant leaves was conducted based on phenological and morphological observations. The period when the first flowering was observed was 73,40 days in the control group, while the latest flowering was observed in the Pb+B2 treatment at 80,33 days. The highest number of leaves, 4 leaves, was obtained from the control group, while the lowest leaf number, 3,08 leaves, was obtained from the NPK+Pb treatment. The maximum leaf width was 3,65 cm in the control group, while the highest flower length was 9,23 cm, flower width was 11.05 cm, and stem thickness was 8,33 mm in the (Pb+B3) treatments, and the difference between the applications was found to be statistically insignificant. The highest values of nutrient elements observed in tulip leaves were nitrogen (N) 5,25% (KF58B), phosphorus (P) 5362,67 mg/kg (Pb+B2), potassium (K) 7842,67 mg/kg (NPK), iron (Fe) 221,14 mg/kg (Pb-Lead), manganese (Mn) 27,66 mg/kg (Pb-Lead), zinc (Zn) 35,73 mg/kg (Pb+B3), calcium (Ca) 4153 mg/kg (KF3B), magnesium (Mg) 1696,67 mg/kg (Pb+B2), and lead (Pb) 5,04 mg/kg (Pb-Lead) applications, and a statistically significant difference was found among the mean values (P<0.01).