ABSTRACT
Enhancing tomato growth with an endophytic actinomycete and applied planting media as its carriers

Yupa Chromkaew1, Thewin Kaeomuangmoon1, Nuttapon Khongdee2, Nipon Mawan2, and Nilita Mukjang3*
 
Endophytic actinomycetes play an important role in plant growth-promoting with their ability to live within and benefit plants. Although they are widely studied, application studies are still lacking. Therefore, not only the plant growth-promoting isolates were studied but also materials that act like carriers of these actinomycetes were tested creating its practical application in this study. Three endophytic actinomycetes isolated with the potential of plant growth promotion, TGsL-02-04, TGsL-04-60 and TGsR-03-04 were cultured and inoculated into 10 d-old tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings. Plant N, P, K, Ca and Mg uptake was analyzed. To develop planting media as a carrier for the plant growth promoting actinomycetes, the best isolate was cultured and poured into the prepared carriers with 15 mL per 50 g carrier material then incubated at 25-30 °C for 90 d. Carriers were sampled to evaluate viability of the added isolates at day 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90. This study indicated that TGsL_02_04 (Nocardiopsis sp.), has a remarkable capacity for helping plant to absorb essential nutrients especially N and P for 87.0 ± 3.71 and 2.98 ± 0.34 mg plant-1, respectively and the presence of TGsL_02_04 enhances nutrient absorption, leading to a positive impact on plant productivity. In addition, TGsL_02_04 shown the highest dry weights as 2.21 ± 0.31 g, correlated with the observed nutrient uptake results. For the carrier development, the coconut coir carrier showed the highest cell count compared to vermiculite, diatomite and perlite. The TGsL_02_04 with the coconut coir carrier showed a promising result that they can be applied to plantation.
Keywords: Coconut coir, diatomite, Nocardiopsis sp., perlite, planting media, Solanum lycopersicum, vermiculite.
1Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, 50200, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
2Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Highland Agriculture and Natural Resources, 50200, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
3Chiang Mai University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 50200, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
*Corresponding author (nilita.m@cmu.ac.th).