This work aimed to evaluate the effect of powdered milk as a nutrient source and the effect of the substrate composition on the biological rooting induction and minicutting growth by rhizobacteria isolates. A suspension of rhizobacteria (10(8) cfu/ml) was used to achieve a concentration of 0.2 ml/cc of substrate with or without powdered milk (1%). Three eucalyptus clones were transplanted to the treated substrate and 25 days later the root biomass and the rooting index were evaluated. Ten isolates added on the same proportion and concentration were tested in three assays using one eucalyptus clone and two rooting substrates: vermiculite, charcoal powder + eucalyptus rusk compost + vermiculite (5:3:1) and carbonized rice bark + vermiculite (1:1). The results showed that the isolates were effective in increasing the speed and index of rooting as well as the root biomass, whose increases were greater when the nutrient source was applied. Among the isolates tested, S1 and 3912 (both Bacillus subtilis) were the most effective for rooting and root biomass, with increases of 40.6 and 114.2%, respectively. There was no interaction between rhizobacteria isolates and root substrate, which allows using the isolates independently of the substrate.
Eucalyptus; rhizobacteria; substrate
