Seedling establishment and development of sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.) submitted to different biological treatments on seeds and soil

• Grant number: 23/02869-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Victor Augusto Forti
• Grantee: Fernanda Ticianelli de Castro
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Agrárias (CCA). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Araras , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The damage caused by the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides highlights the importance of efficient alternatives to ensure plant nutrition and disease management. One of the main crops in use of pesticides is bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), however, there are already several biological products on the market which could be used alternatively to chemical inputs. In addition, there are agroecological techniques for capturing, selecting and reproducing mixed cultures of effective microorganisms present in nature which can be used in this crop. The present study aims to compare the efficiency of mixed cultures and strains isolated from commercially available biological products of Bacillus subtilisand Trichoderma sp. with mixed cultures of effective microorganisms native to the study area in the production of bell pepper. Pepper seedlings will be evaluated in a protected environment, and plants in the field, submitted to five treatments: i) B. subtilis; ii) Trichoderma sp; iii) B. subtilis + Trichoderma sp; iv) native effective microorganisms; v) control. The seedlings and plants will be evaluated for growth and development, and in the plants in the field will be additionally evaluated the levels of chlorophyll a and b, productivity, occurrence of diseases and fruit quality. It is expected to identify the interactions between microorganisms and plants, comparing commercially available strains with native mixed cultures to contribute to more sustainable productions.