Effect of halophilic bacteria as a sustainable strategy to reduce soil salinity in raspberry (Rubus idaeus) cultivation

The raspberry (Rubus idaeus) is the main crop of Jocotepec municipality, being dedicated to protected agriculture, chemical fertilization causes soil salinization, which results in the crop´s not developing its maximum potential. To evaluate the effect of halophilic bacteria as a sustainable strategy to reduce soil salinity in raspberry cultivation, the present research assessed a production unit located at the Jocotepec Municipality, Jalisco state, Mexico. The evaluated halophilic bacteria treatments were doses of 7 L/ha, 5 L/ha, and 3 L/ha plus an absolute control, on three intervals - of 15 days application in saturated furrow irrigation. The assessed soil variables were pH and EC; in the plants: plant height, number of loaders, stem diameter, and number of boxes produced. The evaluation of the effect of halophilic bacteria on the quantitative variables was carried out with an ANOVA in the SAS® Studio 2023 software, in a completely randomized block design, after complying with normality of residuals and homogeneity of variances assumptions associated with the Tukey means comparison statistical test (p < 0.05). The results show a direct effect of the halophilic bacteria dosage on the soil EC decrease, from 2.35 ds/m (Control) to 1.81 ds/m (Dose 5 L/ha), values equivalent to light salinity (< 2 ds/m). Regarding the agronomic variables, improvements were evident in the evaluated characteristics.