Phosphorus Efficiency of Some Pomegranate Cultivars Inoculated by Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria under Calcareous Soil Conditions

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of A. mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and phosphorous-dissolving bacteria (PDB) as a bio fertilization inoculation under three phosphate fertilizer rates was added before planting, on the yield and fruit quality of three pomegranate cultivars Wonderful, H116 and Manfaloy under calcareous soil conditions The obtained results confirmed that all pomegranate fruit physical and chemical properties as well as fruit yield and yield components were significantly affected by cultivars, phosphorus levels and biofertilization. In addition to the lowest fruit TSS and TSS/acidity ratio. pomegranate trees that were fertilized with the full dose of phosphorus expressed the highest plant growth fruit length, fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, dry fruit weight, fruit number tree-1, fruit yield tree-1, fruit contents of acidity, total sugars, vitamin C and fruit content of anthocyanin. Applied AMF in combined with PDB showed the highest fruit length, fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, dry fruit weight, fruit number tree-1, fruit yield tree-1, acidity, total sugars, vitamin C and anthocyanin In addition to the lowest fruit content of TSS as well as less rate of fruit ripening. Wonderful fertilized with the full dose of phosphorous in the presence of the combined biofertilization treatment AMF + PDB had the highest fruit contents of acidity, total sugar, ascorbic acid anthocyanin in addition to the lowest TSS and TSS/acidity ratio. The results confirmed that used of AMF + PDB resulted in a large increase in soil phosphorus availability under all phosphorus levels.