S13 - Session P2 - Evaluation of the growth and metabolic response of grapevine saplings in different doses of five commercial biostimulants

Authors: Vasileios Papantzikos , Georgios Patakioutas, Eleni Lampraki, Paraskevi Beza , Pinelopi Baltzoi *, Dimitrios Kyrkas, Nikolaos Mantzos, Vasileios Stournaras , Konstantina Fotia, Konstantinos Zisis , Aliki Panagiotou

A challenge in today's agriculture is to increase production by using as small quantities of formulations as possible with zero environmental footprint. The aim of this study was to evaluate the action and appropriate dose of five commercial biostimulant formulations in grapevine saplings. The work took place in a greenhouse of the agricultural school of the University of Ioannina. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design, with 3 replications and 3 treatments including a control one (were no biostimulants were applied) within 114 days from June to October 2020. A total of 48 grapevine plants in pots (9 l) were used. A clay soil composition with perlite in a ratio of 5:1 was used as a growth substrate. The following biostimulant formulations were applied with root irrigation to the grapevine samplings in the recommended dose of commercial formulations, as well in double and quadruple: A) humic and fulvic acids ( > 25% w/w), B) Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (96.69% w/w), C) Sinorhizobium meliloti cepa B2352 (2%w/w), D) amino acids (9,0 % w/w) and E) Glycine-Betaine (80% w/w) - Proline (10% w/w). Plant growth parameters, yield and dry root weight, number of leaves, leaf area, and the plant total chlorophyll content were measured. Folin determination was performed to assess the total phenolic content of leaf tissue in plants and proline determination, to obtain the metabolic response of plants to abiotic stress. Among the treatments, the most significant differences were those containing bacteria and amino acids, which appears to result the largest plant growth. Some biostimulants, even when applied in very small doses, can enhance plant growth even in greenhouse conditions. This is very promising in the future demands of agriculture for high yields even in abiotic stresses.