Summary: | Biostimulants such as silicate (SiO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup>) compounds and antagonistic bacteria can alter soil microbial communities and enhance plant resistance to the pathogens and <i>Fusarium oxysporum f.</i> sp. <i>cubense</i> (FOC), the causal agent of <i>Fusarium</i> wilt disease in bananas. A study was conducted to investigate the biostimulating effects of SiO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> compounds and antagonistic bacteria on plant growth and resistance of the banana to <i>Fusarium</i> wilt disease. Two separate experiments with a similar experimental setup were conducted at the University of Putra Malaysia (UPM), Selangor. Both experiments were arranged in a split-plot randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. SiO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> compounds were prepared at a constant concentration of 1%. Potassium silicate (K<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub>) was applied on soil uninoculated with FOC, and sodium silicate (Na<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub>) was applied to FOC-contaminated soil before integrating with antagonistic bacteria; without <i>Bacillus</i> spp. ((0B)—control), <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> (BS), and <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i> (BT). Four levels of application volume of SiO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> compounds [0, 20, 40, 60 mL) were used. Results showed that the integration of SiO<sub>3</sub><sup>2−</sup> compounds with BS (10<sup>8</sup> CFU mL<sup>−1</sup>) enhanced the physiological growth performance of bananas. Soil application of 28.86 mL of K<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub> with BS enhanced the height of the pseudo-stem by 27.91 cm. Application of Na<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub> and BS significantly reduced the <i>Fusarium</i> wilt incidence in bananas by 56.25%. However, it was recommended that infected roots of bananas should be treated with 17.36 mL of Na<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>3</sub> with BS to stimulate better growth performance.
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