Management with remineralizer associated with inoculation improves productivity and the quality of strawberries

Abstract

Remineralizers are inputs of mineral origin that can supply nutrients, improve fruit quality, and increase the productive potential of strawberry plants. In this study, our objective was tested the use of substrate manufactured with the remineralizer olivine melilitite associated with bacteria of the genus Bacillus spp. in hydroponic strawberry cultivation. We evaluated the nutritional status of the plants, the phytochemical characteristics of the strawberries, and the productivity of the plants. The remineralizer associated with Bacillus spp. led to higher levels of P (74.50 mg mg⁻¹), K (8.21 g kg⁻¹), Ca (35.06 mg kg⁻¹), Mn (5.00 mg kg⁻¹), Fe (4.81 mg kg⁻¹), and Si (6.81 g kg⁻¹) in the strawberry plants and fruits. The highest productivity was observed with the use of the remineralizer associated with Bacillus spp. (730.15 g plant⁻¹), a result strongly correlated with the increase in P (R²=0.78), K (R²=0.88), and Si (R²=0.93) levels in the plants. Furthermore, the combined use of the remineralizer and Bacillus spp. resulted in strawberries with higher sugar content (7.30%), phenolic compounds (40.85 mg 100 g⁻¹), and vitamin C (35.89 mg 100 g⁻¹). We conclude that the olivine melilitite remineralizer and inoculation improve the nutritional status of the plants, increase strawberry productivity, and enhance the phytochemical characteristics of the strawberries.

Graphical abstract

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