Lalrise Vita Improves Performance of French Marigolds Grown at pH 7.0 and Fertilized with Calcium Phosphate

Calcium phosphate [Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 ] is an insoluble form of phosphate that is not bioavailable for plant uptake. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria can improve phosphorus (P) nutrition by solubilizing insoluble compounds such as Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 . French marigolds ( Tagetes patula ‘Durango Yellow’) were grown in a peat-based substrate adjusted to pH 7.0, and P was provided weekly as Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 . Marigolds were treated weekly with Lalrise Vita or its active ingredient ( Bacillus velezensis ) for 5 weeks. Plant growth and health were measured weekly using digital phenotyping. Lalrise Vita– and B. velezensis –treated marigolds showed greater shoot digital biomass than untreated controls. Lalrise Vita– and B. velezensis –treated marigolds were healthier than untreated controls because they showed a low normalized pigment chlorophyll ratio index, plant senescence reflectance index, and proportion of red coloration on the canopy. The beneficial effect provided by Lalrise Vita was greater than the pure B. velezensis , which could be attributed to the additional components of the commercial biostimulant formulation.