Photosynthetic activity and growth of poblano pepper biofertilized with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

•Co-inoculation of PGPR and AMF stimulates plant growth and development.•Funneliformis geosporum, Claroideoglomus sp., and Pseudomonas tolaasii improved growth.•Mycorrhizal colonization was enhanced with co-inoculation of Pseudomonas tolaasii.•PGPR, AMF, and their combination significantly enhanced gas exchange.•AMF improved the phosphorus content in plants. The rhizosphere of plants are natural hosts for beneficial microorganisms such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The objective of this work was to determine the effect of a consortium of AMF and three strains of PGPR on growth, gas exchange and phosphorus content in poblano pepper plants. An experiment was established in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement, with two factors: AMF [Funneliformis geosporum and Claroideoglomus sp. (AM) and without AM (WM)] and PGPR [Rhizobium nepotum (B1), Serratia plymuthica (B2), Pseudomonas tolaasii (B3) and without PGPR (WB)]; generating eight treatments: T1) AM+B1, T2) AM+B2, T3) AM+B3, T4) AM+WB, T5) WM+B1, T6) WM+B2, T7) WM+B3 and T8) WM+WB. Plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of flowers, dry biomass, phosphorus content and AMF colonization were measured; internal CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (gS) and photosynthesis rate (Pn) were determined in leaves. Co-inoculation with AM+B3 promoted greater height (35%), number of leaves (66%), leaf area (62%), dry biomass (140%), phosphorus content (195%) and mycorrhizal colonization (26%); AM+B2 improved Ci (5%), E (8%), gS (5%) and Pn (9%) in poblano pepper leaves, compared to the control treatment (WM+WB). Biofertilization with AMF and PGPR improved gas exchange and growth of poblano pepper. [Display omitted]