Influence of three different soil types on the interaction of two strains of Trichoderma harzianum with Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris cv. esculenta, under soil mineral fertilization

The influence of Trichoderma fungi on growth, yield and nutrient status of food crops has been widely studied. However, a lack of knowledge still exists on the effect of agricultural soils with different geological nature, land use and management on Trichoderma-plant interaction. This study aims to evaluate the influence of three soil types, with different physicochemical properties and under fertilization by NPK-based nutrient solutions, on the efficacy of two T. harzianum (T22 and M10) strains on the growth, nutrient uptake and glucosinolate concentration in Brassica rapa subsp. sylvestris cv. esculenta. Overall data showed that the biofertilization by Trichoderma strains is very effective to enhance the fertility and productivity of the nutrient-poor soils even in the absence of fertilization by NPK-nutrient solutions, as well as to stimulate the production of glucosinolates by foliar biomass of B. rapa, although this effect was strongly dependent on the soil type.