EFEITO DA APLICAÇÃO FOLIAR DE Priestia (=Bacillus) aryabhattai EM CULTIVARES DE BRAQUIÁRIA SOB RESTRIÇÃO HÍDRICA.

Abstract

Water deficit is one of the main limiting factors for the productivity of tropical forage grasses, directly affecting plant growth and early establishment. In this context, the use of plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria has been studied as a strategy to mitigate the effects of water stress. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of foliar application of Priestia aryabhattai on tolerance to water deficit in four forage cultivars of the genus Urochloa (Cayana, Sabiá, Mulato II, and Marandu). The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with five replications. Thirty-five days after sowing, foliar application of the inoculant was performed, followed by suspension of irrigation for seven days to impose water stress. The evaluated variables were emergence percentage, shoot height (SH), root length (RL), total plant length (TPL), shoot dry mass (SDM), and root dry mass (RDM). The Sabiá cultivar showed the highest emergence percentage, while the Marandu cultivar stood out in vegetative growth under water deficit conditions. No significant differences were observed for root length and dry mass production, nor was there an effect of foliar application of Priestia aryabhattai. It was concluded that the genetic factor had a greater influence on cultivar performance than bacterial inoculation under the experimental conditions evaluated.