Performance of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings in response to the application of humic acid and plant growth-promoting bacteria

Abstract

Sugarcane cultivation using pre-sprouted seedlings has decreased the number of stalks used per hectare, increased the multiplication rate, improved seedling health, and increased planting uniformity. However, because this system has been only recently proposed, the number of studies evaluating this new technology is still scarce, particularly those examining the effect of the application of growth-promoting substances on seedling characteristics during the production phase. Here, we hypothesized that it is possible to combine the plant growth-promoting activity of humic acid (HA) with the inoculation of selected strains of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to improve the yield of sugarcane seedlings compared with the individual application of these two techniques. The potential of the combined use of HA and PGPB as agricultural inputs was evaluated by conducting an experiment with sugarcane micro cuttings in a greenhouse. Treatments included control, PGPB, HA, and PGPB with HA. At the end of the experiment (60 d after planting), the plants were subjected to biometric evaluation. The results indicated that it was possible to combine HA with selected strains of PGPB (Burkholderia sp.) to improve the yield of seedlings compared with individual HA and PGPB treatments. HA, PGPB, and HA + PGPB increased the total dry matter compared with the control by 23%, 25%, and 36%, respectively. Therefore, the use of HA-based plant regulators in combination with PGPB was more effective than the isolated use of these inputs for the treatment of micro cuttings and improvement of sugarcane seedling yield.