Abstract
The present study was performed to investigate blueberry compost material alternative to commercially available one
mainly containing peat moss and evaluate its potential in pot experiment using five bacteria. Initially, we divided our
made compost (M) into three types based on pH (4.5, 5.5 and 7) using H2SO4. In physiochemical analysis, each type of
M was found to have different composition of N P, Ca, Mg, Mn and S and higher than commercial compost. Our results
indicate negative effects of acidification on bacterial population, diversity and activities of protease, chitinase, and cellulase in
M compost. In blueberry pot experiment, plants were grown in 4.5 M, 5.5 M, 4.5 C and 7 M. Two types of treatments were
performed including chemical fertilizer (F) and the other type contained bacterial culture (C) including B. amyloliquefaciens
Y1, B. licheniformis MH48, B. pumilus L1, P. ehmensis KWN38 and P. elgii HOA73 grown together in broth containing chitin
powder. The use of biofertilizers significantly increased plant biomass compared to all fertilizer treatments and pH 7 M treated
with bacterial culture (C) has highest value among all treatments. Inoculation of bacteria not only increased total number and
type of bacteria but also improved chitinase and gelatinase in rhizosphere of blueberry plants. These results suggest that our
made compost can be used as blueberry compost and inoculation of five bacteria have positive effects on blueberry growth,
bacterial population and enzyme activities in compost at various pH.
