Effect of growth media and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and flowering indices of China Aster

Our work focused on applying different growth media and plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) treatments on growth parameters of China Aster as a worldwide ornamental plant. This plant has many uses such as medicinal plant, seasonal and cut flower and green spaces or landscaping. The treatments included four types of growth media (soil (S), soil+perlite (SP), soil+cocopeat (SC) and soil+cocopeat +perlite (SCP)) and three types of incubation status included incubation with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) of Bacillus subtilis (B.subtilis) and Pseudomonas putida (P.putida), and no-bacterial incubation with three replicates. Regardless of growth media, P.putida had greater plant height than B.subtilis. SCP with or without bacterial incubation had the highest plant height and numbers of axillary shoots among the applied growth media. SCP with P.putida had the greatest chlorophyll content (1.29 mg.g-1 FW) and leaf area (1495.05 mm2). SCP with or without bacterial incubation had the highest number and diameters of flowers among other treatments. SCP plus P.putida showed maximum leaf nitrogen (N), SC and SP plus B.subtilis had highest leaf phosphorous (P) and potassium (K), respectively. Our results demonstrated that applying SCP as a compound growth media, with or without bacterial incubation, had best effects on growth and flowering indices.