Tueros Munive, Miguel LuisVilcapoma Paliza, Melina LuzPillaca Chillcce, Guido BryanVelásquez Mantari, JoséCampos Villar, HenryCántaro Segura, Hector BaroniPaitamala Campos, OmarMatsusaka Quiliano, Daniel Claudio2025-11-032025-11-032025-10-15Tueros, M., Vilcapoma, M., Pillaca, G., Velásquez, J., Campos, H., Cántaro-Segura, H., Paitamala, O., & Matsusaka, D. (2025). Eco-Efficient Intensification of Potato with Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma viride Under NPK Fertilization. Applied Microbiology, 5(4), 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol50401122673-8007http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12955/2929Potato production in the Andean highlands demands strategies that reduce dependence on synthetic inputs without sacrificing yield. We evaluated two microbial bioinputs—Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma viride—applied once pre-plant to seed tubers, under three organo-mineral fertilization regimes (0%, 50%, and 100% of the recommended NPK rate) in two cultivars (INIA 303-Canchán and Yungay) in field conditions in Ayacucho, Peru, using a randomized complete block, split-plot design (three replicates). Agronomic traits (plant height, root dry weight, stems per plant, tubers per plant, and plot-level yield) were analyzed with robust two-way ANOVA and multivariate methods. Combining microbial inoculation with 50% NPK sustained growth responses comparable to 100% NPK for key traits: in Yungay with T. viride, plant height at 50% NPK (≈96.15 ± 1.71 cm) was not different from 100% NPK (≈98.87 ± 1.70 cm), and root dry weight at 50% NPK (≈28.50 ± 0.28 g) matched or exceeded 100% NPK (≈16.97–22.62 g depending on cultivar–treatment). Notably, T. viride increased root biomass even without mineral fertilizer (≈27.62 ± 0.29 g in Yungay), while B. subtilis enhanced canopy vigor and stem number at full NPK (≈4.5 ± 0.29 stems). Yungay out-yielded INIA 303-Canchán overall (≈57.5 ± 2.5 kg vs. ≈42.7 ± 2.5 kg per plot). The highest yields occurred with B. subtilis + 100% NPK (≈62.88 ± 6.07 kg per plot), followed by B. subtilis + 50% NPK (≈51.7 ± 6.07 kg per plot). Plant height was the strongest correlate of yield (Spearman ρ ≈ 0.60), underscoring its value as a proxy for productivity. Overall, a single pre-plant inoculation with B. subtilis or T. viride can halve mineral fertilizer inputs while maintaining growth and sustaining high, cultivar-dependent yields in highland potato systems.application/pdfenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Solanum tuberosum L.Bacillus subtilisTrichoderma virideclimate-smart agricultureyieldsustainable agriculturaagricultura climáticamente inteligenterendimientoagricultura sostenibleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttps://purl.org/pe-repo/ocde/ford#4.04.01https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5040112Papa; Potatoes; Aplicación de abono; Fertilizer application; Rendimiento de cultivo; Crop yield; Agricultura sostenible; sustainable agriculture