Influence of Bio-Inoculants on Growth, Flowering, and Bulb Development of Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.) cv. "Purissima"

The study “ Influence of Bio-Inoculants on Growth, Flowering, and Bulb Development of Tulip ( Tulipa gesneriana L.)” cv. "Purissima" was conducted during the 2023–2024 academic year at the Division of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, SKUAST-K, Srinagar. The findings of the study revealed that the treatment combination (T ₇ ) of PSB + KSB + VAM significantly outperformed the control across most parameters. This treatment led to earlier sprouting, improved vegetative growth (maximum plant height of 47.56 cm and leaf area of 152.06 cm²), enhanced flowering characteristics (shortened days to anthesis, longer flower duration, and larger flower diameter), and superior bulb yield (maximum bulb weight of 24.60 g bulb ^− 1 and diameter of 3.55 cm). In addition, the bio-inoculants notably increased rhizospheric microbial populations, with T ₇ (PSB + KSB + VAM) yielding the highest total bacterial counts (78.50 × 10⁷ CFU g⁻¹ soil), and individual treatments showing peak populations for phosphorus and potassium solubilizing bacteria and total fungi. These results underscore the potential of bio-inoculants as a sustainable tool for enhancing tulip production and minimizing chemical inputs.