INOCULAÇÃO DE Priestia aryabhattai, Pseudomonas Fluorescens E Priestia Magaterium NA PROMOÇÃO DO CRESCIMENTO E PRODUTIVIDADE DO ALGODOEIRO (Gossypium hirsutum).

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is one of the main crops of global economic relevance and a strategic commodity for Brazilian agribusiness, particularly in the Cerrado biome. However, the high cost of mineral fertilizers and adverse edaphoclimatic conditions limit both productivity and the sustainability of cotton cultivation. In this context, plant growthpromoting microorganisms (PGPM) emerge as a promising alternative to reduce dependence on chemical inputs, enhance nutrient use efficiency, and improve the physiological development of plants. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of inoculation with Priestia aryabhattai, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Priestia megaterium on the growth and productivity of cotton. The experiment was carried out under field conditions in São Desidério, Bahia, Brazil, using a strip design with five treatments and three replications. Morphological, nutritional, and productive parameters were analyzed, including plant stand, leaf and seed nutrient content, and lint and seed cotton yield. The results showed that P. aryabhattai promoted greater initial vigor and plant population, while P. megaterium stood out for lint yield (107.20 @/ha), and P. fluorescens achieved the highest seed yield (128.49 @/ha). The consortium of the three microorganisms resulted in the greatest number of bolls per plant and the highest total productivity (335.92 @/ha), indicating a synergistic effect among the species. It is concluded that microbial inoculation, whether used individually or in combination, represents an efficient and sustainable biotechnological tool for increasing cotton productivity, contributing to the reduction of mineral fertilizer use and the regenerative management of agricultural soils