Microbial Biostimulants Enhance Root Architecture and Nursery Success of Grafted Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Narince’/110 R)

Hazar İ., Yağcı A., Cangi R., Daler S.

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, cilt.54, sa.3, ss.1-18, 2026 (Scopus)

Özet

High-quality grafted vine production is essential for sustainable vineyard establishment; however, achieving consistent nursery performance remains a challenge. This study evaluated the effects of seven commercial microbial biostimulant formulations on grafted vine success rate and root system architecture of grafted grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Narince’) grafted onto 110 R rootstock under greenhouse nursery conditions during two consecutive years (2024–2025). Microbial biostimulants representing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), and beneficial fungi were applied to the basal ends of grafted cuttings prior to planting. Growth parameters, root morphological traits, and grafted vine classification were evaluated two months after planting. Microbial biostimulants had limited effects on shoot biomass parameters; however, several root morphological traits were significantly influenced by microbial treatments. The AMF consortium treatment (MF-B) produced the highest root number (22.83 roots cutting1), representing an approximately 88% increase compared with the negative control. Root elongation was particularly enhanced by MF-D, which increased root length by approximately 116% relative to the control treatment. In terms of nursery performance, the MF-B treatment achieved a total sapling success rate of 71.2%, comparable to the positive control treated with indole-3-butyric acid (74.1%). Correlation and principal component analyses revealed strong associations between root architectural traits and grafted vine classification parameters. Overall, the results indicate that selected microbial biostimulant formulations, particularly AMF-based consortia, can enhance root system development and improve nursery performance in grafted grapevine production systems. These findings highlight the potential role of microbial biostimulants as sustainable alternatives to conventional propagation inputs in grapevine nurseries.