Bio-priming Treatment with PGPB Strains in Cowpea Production Increases Grain Yield and Net Income

Abstract

In the 21st century, the use of beneficial microorganisms as biological fertilizers has become a notable phenomenon, driven by the ongoing search for sustainable solutions due to environmental issues associated with synthetic fertilizer use. This study aimed to investigate the effect of bio-priming with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) strains comparing them with synthetic fertilizer and rhizobium inoculation in Siirt ecological conditions. The field experiment was laid out according to a completely randomized design with four replications in the arable land of Siirt University (Siirt, Türkiye) during the 2019 summer season. Three synthetic fertilizer doses as diammonium phosphate (SF1: 100 kg ha-1, SF2: 200 kg ha-1, SF3: 300 kg ha-1) and seven biological fertilizer treatments (B1: TV61C, B2: TV62C, B3: TV126C, B4: TV24C, B5: TV53D, BMIX: TV119E+TV126C, RZB: Bradyrhizobium sp.) were compared with control (no fertilization+hydro-priming) in the study. The research results indicated that 300 kg ha-1 DAP and PGPB consortia showed the best results on agronomic characteristics. However, particularly when applied in the form of a consortium, PGPB strains exhibited performance very close to synthetic fertilization. Moreover, it was determined that 300 kg ha-1 DAP and PGPB consortia increased grain yield over hydro-primed plants by 54.6% and 42.4%, while they provided a net income of $654 and $721.6, respectively. Thus, bio-priming with PGPB increased higher net income compared with synthetic fertilizer due to lower treatment costs. In conclusion, bio-priming with PGPB strains has the potential of useful, sustainable and cost-effective strategy in cowpea production.