Piriformospora indica Culture Filtrate and Biofertilizer (Nitrokara) Promote Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) Growth and Morpho-physiological Traits in an Aeroponic System and Soil Culture

In two independent experiments, acclimatized chicory plants were transferred into an aeroponic system and to the soil. Then, the effects of biofertilizer (Nitrokara) and culture filtrate of Piriformospora indica were investigated on some plant characteristics in both aeroponic and soil cultivation system under greenhouse conditions. The plants were foliar sprayed with three different biofertilizer concentrations (1, 2, and 3 g/L) and P. indica culture filtrate (2.5, 5, and 7.5 mL in 100 mL water) following 20, 40 and 60 days after transplanting to the aeroponic and soil culture media. Results showed that the highest vegetative growth (e.g. plant height, root length, number of leaves per plant, root and shoot dry weights) and physiological traits (e.g. relative water content, proline, anthocyanin content, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b) were observed with 7.5 mL of P. indica culture filtrate in both aeroponic and soil culture media. Besides, the best results for all studied traits were obtained from 3 g/L of biofertilizer application in the both culture media. In both experiments, better results were obtained from the aeroponic system than the soil culture for P. indica production.