Thesis
APLICACIÓN DE Azospirillum Y SU EFECTO EN LA CALIDAD Y RENDIMIENTO DE FRESA (Fragaria x ananassa) VAR. ALBION CULTIVADA EN INVERNADERO
Autor
CASTILLEJO ÁLVAREZ, LUZ ELENA
Institución
Resumen
Strawberry crop in Mexico faces difficulties regarding to the indiscriminate use of nitrogenous fertilizers, which contribute to increase production cost and environmental degradation. That is why, strategies for agrochemical inputs use reduction allowing good yields and crop quality, are needed. The use of Azospirillum bacteria represents an alternative for that purpose, since they allow diminution of nitrogen fertilizer use. The treatments were: T1= 100% Nitrogen Fertilizer (FN 100%), T2= consortium of Azospirillum 1 (AZ1), T3= consortium of Azospirillum 2 (AZ2), T4= AZ1 + Nitrogen Fertilizer 50% (FN 50%), T5= AZ2 + FN 50%N, T6= FN 50%N y T7= Water. The effect of Azospirillum application was evaluated on biometric parameters (leaf area, number and size of leaves, fresh and dry biomass). The effect of Azospirillum on fruit quality (color, size, titratable acidity, pH and ºBrix) and yield was also evaluated. Additionally, mineral nutrient contents (N, P, K) of fruits and leaves were determined. Strawberry plants inoculation with Azospirillum consortia without fertilization (T2 or T3), significantly increased leave area, fresh and dry biomass and yield compared to T7 (26%, 28%, 37% and 125% respectively). The treatments T4, T6 y T1 were similar and showed higher foliar area (46%), fresh biomass (56%) and dry biomass (73%) than T2 and T3. It is remarkable that inoculated treatments had a positive effect on yield compared to the FN 100% treatment (T1). Plants of the treatment of AZ1 + FN 50%, showed the same level of growth than those of the treatment FN 100% (non-inoculated). Moreover, they had a significantly higher yield and promoted strawberry fruit quality, by increasing fruit size (60%) and ºBrix compared with the FN 100% treatment. The above results showed a favorable response of “Albion” strawberry to inoculation with Azospirillum as complement to chemical nitrogen fertilization.