Effect of fungal microorganisms on promoting the growth of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seedlings under controlled conditions

The need for food production worldwide is constantly increasing, generating a deterioration of the environment, which requires the implementation of less harmful crop management techniques, one of these strategies is the use of microorganisms with the potential to increase plant growth. The evaluation of the effect of inoculation in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds of nine fungal strains (HC1, HC2, HC3, HC4, LBH1, LBH33, LBH59, LBH9 and VP) was proposed. The seeds were sown in two types of tray sizes (128 and 200 alveoli) and the percentage of germination, stem length and diameter, root length, aerial and root dry weight were measured after five weeks of growth. The results show that the HC2 and LBH9 strains have the greatest potential to increase the variables evaluated under the study conditions. Just as there are strains that increase the growth of plants, there are also those that inhibit it, which makes it necessary to evaluate them in different crops to generate a proper management of them, optimizing the use of resources and, in turn, producing crops with better development of aerial parts and roots and, consequently, higher productivity.