Effects of rhizobacteria and molasses usage on plant growth and yield in strawberry

Strawberry is the most widely cultivated species among berry fruits. In strawberry cultivation, fertilization is one of the most important practices employed to increase yield and quality. However, the long-term and uncontrolled use of synthetic (chemical) fertilizers may lead over time to the deterioration of soil structure, increased environmental pollution, and adverse effects on human health through direct or indirect pathways. As an alternative, products derived from plant and animal wastes have recently been preferred, and these materials are processed through various methods to make them suitable for use in agricultural production. In this study, the effects of rhizobacteria and molasses, a by-product generated during sugar beet production, on yield, growth, and development in strawberry were investigated. In this study, different molasses doses (control, 1%, 2.5%, and 5% molasses) and their combinations with rhizobacteria were evaluated. In addition, a ‘bacteria-only’ treatment without molasses has also been tried. The results indicated that the ‘bacteria-only’ treatment had a significant effect on yield. Compared with the control, this treatment increased fruit number by 24.40%, average fruit weight by 6.98%, and yield per plant by 33.32%. The 5% molasses dose resulted in the lowest yield values both when applied alone and in combination with rhizobacteria. Overall, the 5% molasses dose, both alone and in combination with rhizobacteria, was found to have an insignificant effect on root growth. The 5% molasses dose was found to be relatively high in terms of maintaining the balance between vegetative and generative growth.