The use of environmental and sustainable ornamental flower production practices with renewable resources has drawn worldwide interest. One of these renewable resources is vermicompost (earthworm castings). In recent years, increasing demand for improving environmental quality have focused on the importance of Plant Growth Promotion Bacteria (PGPBs) in agriculture. Vermicomposts also help microbial agents function effectively in soil. In this study, a total of six treatments [A: PGPB formulation, B: Not autoclaved vermicompost, C: Autoclaved vermicompost, D: Not autoclaved vermicompost+PGPBs, E: Autoclaved vermicompost+PGPBs, F: Control (untreated bacteria and vermicompost)] were tested for their effects on the plant growth and development parameters in gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L. ‘Red Beauty’) in greenhouse condition. Vermicompost was added to the related pots by dissolving in water. After the addition of vermicompost, PGPB formulation was given immediately to related pots. All the treatments were applied to soil once in three leaf stage, close to the plant root zone. Parameters in terms of yield and quality attributes of plant and corm were determined and analyzed. The treatment A increased in plant height of gladiolus of 24.55% rate. The earliest times to flowering was determined in E application (100.48 day), which also increased in corm diameter with rate of 17.41% and number of corms and cormels with rate of 151.83% according to F application. Results indicated that the treatment E promoted overall better performance as compared to other treatments diameter of flowers for number of leaves per plant, number of florets per spike, stem diameter, spike length, fresh and dry weight of flowers, the number and diameter of corm. Autoclaved vermicompost can be good choice in gladiolus cultivation but it should be enriched with PGPB.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål, 1855) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an invasive harmful pest species due to its economic losses. Its wide host range and continuous movement make its control difficult with insecticides. Biological control has recently gained importance due to the negative aspects of chemical control. The study evaluated the biological control tools by testing the entomopathogens against the pest by 11 bacteria strains and 1 fungal isolate. Brevibacillus, Bacillus, Pantoea, Vibrio, Pseudomonas, and Beauveria were tested against the nymphs of H. halys under controlled conditions. All applied entomopathogens had potentials for controlling H. halys. Mortality rates of 75 and 100% were obtained by the bacteria strains and 76.19% by the fungus, B. bassiana. Successfully reaching a 100% control rate, the bacterial isolates of the Bacillus cereus GC subgroup B and Pantoea agglomerans GC subgroup were recorded to have a greater potential than the others.

Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl. which has a wide host range is an important fungal pathogen causing losses in yield in agricultural crops. The chemicals used for controlling this disease are directly toxic to beneficial microorganisms in soil. This study was carried out to determine the antifungal activities of a total 13 candidate bioagent bacterial isolates of Bacillus subtilis (TV-6F, TV-12H, TV-17C and TV 125 A), Bacillus megaterium (TV 87 A and TV 91 C), Bacillus pumilus (TV 67 C), Paenibacillus polymyxa (TV 12E), Pantoea agglomerans (RK 92 and BRT-B), Pseudomonas fluorescens Biotip F (FDG 37), Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstakii (BAB-410) and Bacillus sphaericus GC subgroup D (FD 49) and bioagent fungal isolates of Trichoderma harzianum (ET 4 and ET 14) against two isolates of A. alternata isolated from strawberry and cucumber on petri plate assays. B. pumilus TV 67C (87.63%-65.89%), B. subtilis TV 6F (77.61%-63.11%) and B. megaterium TV 87A (72.93%-68.87%) bacterial isolates were the most effective isolates against pathogenic fungi in in vitro and bioagent fungal isolates ET 4 and ET 14 inhibited pathogenic fungi grown in in vitro respectively 73.87% -83.33% and 55.85% -74.44%, too. Our results indicated that B. subtilis, B. pumilus, B. megaterium and T. harzianum should be tested against A. alternata in field condition.

Cottony cushion scale Icerya purchasi Maskell, 1878 (Hemiptera: Margarodidae) is an important pest that inhibits the plant growth and development by sap sucking of the plants, and causes sooty mold in more than 200 plant species, especially in citrus plantation. The present study investigated the biological control of the nymphs and adult I. purchasi, which densely populates the mimosa plants (Acacia dealbata) in Artvin, Turkey. For this purpose, one fungal isolate [Beauveria bassiana (ET 10)] and eight bacterial strains [Brevibacillus brevis (CP-1), Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kenyae (FDP-8, FDP-42), B. thuringiensis (FDP-1), B. sphaericus (FD-49), B. pumilus (TV-67C), Pseudomonas fluorescens (RK-1773) and B. atrophaeus (RK-1774)] were assessed against the nymphs and adult of I. purchasi under controlled conditions. Fungal and bacterial suspensions were sprayed onto 20 nymphs and 20 adults of I. purchasi in plastic boxes. The death rates of the nymphs and adults were recorded. The B. bassiana (ET 10) caused a death up to 100% and 80% in nymphs and adults, respectively. Moreover, P. flourescens (RK 1773) caused 90.5% death of nymphs and B. thuringiensis subsp. kenyae (FDP-42) presented 88.5% death to the nymphs of I. purchase. However, the use of the bacterial strains was not much successful against the adults, as compared to the nymphs.

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