Effects of growing media and use of beneficial bacteria on yield and fruit quality of soilless grown strawberries

In this study, it was aimed to the determinetion the effects of growing media and commercially available some beneficial microorganisms on plant growth, yield and quality of strawberry plant under the greenhouse conditions was aimed. Rubygem strawberry variety was used for this study. (1) Perlite (inorganic) and (2) cocopeat (organic) were used as growing media. Cultivation was done in horizontal pots (3 plants/pot and 6.15 plants/m2). In sub-plots, (1) BM-Megaflu; Bacillus megaterium (KBA-10), Pantoea agglomerans (RK-134), Pseudomonas fluorescens (2) Cedriks; Pseudomonas fluorescen and (3) Vitormone Plus: Azotobacter ssp root bacterias (PGPR) that promote plant growth were incorporated into trial. Plant growth (length, crown, leaf, blooming flower, branch, runner numbers) chloropphyll index (SPAD) yield (total and marketable yield, total fruit amount, marketable and average fruit weight) and quality (firmness, TSS, TA, EC, pH, antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, vitamin C) parameters were determined in this study. The effect of growing media on plant growth was found significant. Cocopeat increased total and marketable yield values by %38 and %36.5; respectively in comparison to perlite. Among bacterias, the highest total and marketable yield were obtained from Cedriks with 1.60 and 1.57 kg/m2. Fruit quality parameters such as fruit firmness, titretable acidity, fruit juice EC and vitamin C content were affected by treatments. When the findings that are obtained in the study were evaluated, it was observed that growting media affected the plant growth, yield and quality characteristics in the cultivation of unheated greenhouse conditions in İzmir and cocopeat gave better results when compared with perlite It has been shown that use at Pseudomonas fluorescens usage in cultivation could be recommended due to it's effect on yield related parameters.