Soil microbial inoculant has no effect on plant growth, fruit yield, fruit disorders, and soilborne diseases in bell pepper

ABSTRACT Microbial inoculants are popular for their ability to enhance crop production in organic and conventional systems. Bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.) is an important crop in the southeast U.S. and it is not clear how it is affected by inoculants. The objective was to determine effects of soil microbial inoculants on bell pepper plant growth and fruit yield. The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm, University of Georgia, Tifton, GA, in the spring of 2016 and 2017. Bell pepper “2815” plants were drip-irrigated and grown on black plastic mulch. Treatments were (a) water and (b) a commercial soil microbial inoculant (consortium of 10 bacteria species). In both years, plant growth (stem diameter, plant height, and plant weight), leaf chlorophyll, leaf gas exchange, fruit yields, and fruit sunscald were unaffected by soil microbial inoculant. Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) was only detected in 2016 and its incidence was not affected by microbial inoculant. Use of microbial inoculant had no major effects on bell pepper plant growth and fruit yield, fruit sunscald, and southern blight incidence.