Bioinoculant mediated enhancement of physiological, morphological, and rhizospheric microbial dynamics in Tulipa gesneriana
摘要
The study “Bioinoculant Mediated Enhancement of Physiological, Morphological, and Rhizospheric Microbial Dynamics in Tulipa gesneriana” was conducted during the 2023–2024 academic year at the Division of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, SKUAST-K, Srinagar (India). The findings of the study revealed that the treatment combination (T7) of PSB + KSB+VAM significantly outperformed the control across most parameters. This treatment led to earlier sprouting, improved vegetative growth (maximum plant height of 47.56 cm and leaf area of 152.06 cm2), enhanced flowering characteristics (shortened days to anthesis, longer flower duration, and larger flower diameter), and superior bulb yield (maximum bulb weight of 24.60 g bulb− 1 and diameter of 3.55 cm). In addition, the bio-inoculants notably increased rhizospheric microbial populations, with T7 (PSB + KSB + VAM) yielding the highest total bacterial counts (78.50 × 107 CFU g⁻1 soil), and individual treatments showing peak populations of phosphorus- and potassium-solubilising bacteria and total fungi. These results underscore the potential of bio-inoculants as a sustainable tool for enhancing tulip production and minimising chemical inputs.