Tomato Growth Research Articles

A potential CO2 carrier to improve the utilization of HCO3– by plant-soil ecosystem for carbon sink enhancement

IntroductionImproving the rhizospheric HCO3– utilization of plant-soil ecosystem could increase the carbon sink effect of terrestrial ecosystem. However, to avoid its physiological stress on the crop growth, the dosage of HCO3– allowed to add into the rhizosphere soil was always low (i.e., <5–20 mol/m3). ObjectivesTo facilitate the utilization of relatively high concentrations of HCO3– by plants in the pursuit of achieving terrestrial carbon sink enhancement. MethodsIn this study, the feasibility of directly supplementing a high concentration HCO3– carried by the biogas slurry to the plant rhizosphere was investigated using the tomato as a model plant. ResultsThe CO2-rich biogas slurry was verified as a potential CO2 carrier to increase the rhizospheric HCO3– concentration to 36 mol/m3 without causing a physiological stress. About 88.3 % of HCO3– carried by biogas slurry was successfully fixed by tomato-soil ecosystem, in which 43.8 % of HCO3– was assimilated by tomato roots for the metabolism, 0.5 ‰ of HCO3– was used by microorganisms for substances synthesis of cell structure through dark fixation, and 44.4 % of HCO3– was retained in the soil. The rest of HCO3– (∼11.7 %) might escape into the atmosphere through the reaction with H+. Correspondingly, the carbon fixation of tomato-soil ecosystem increased by 150.1 g-CO2/m2-soil during a tomato growth cycle. As for the global countries that would adopt the strategy proposed in this study to cultivate the tomato, an extra carbon sink of soil with about 1031.1 kt-C per year (i.e., an additional 0.21 tons of carbon per hectare soil) could be obtained. ConclusionThis would be consistent with the goal of soil carbon sink enhancement launched at COP21. Furthermore, the regions with low GDP per capita may easily achieve a high reduction potential of CO2 emissions from the agricultural land after adopting the irrigation of CO2-rich biogas slurry.

Enhancement of Drought Tolerance and Plant Growth in Tomato by Trichoderma harzianum Seed Treatment

The proficiencies of soil microorganisms to drought tolerance have been known for many years, but their use as crop inoculants was not explored in agriculture commercially. One possibility to increase the drought tolerance is to use beneficial microorganisms as seed treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Trichoderma harzianum on the growth and development of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant under water stress condition. Trichoderma harzianum is applied to the seeds by treating seeds with Trichoderma harzianum before sowing. Parameters including germination percentage, chlorophyll content, leaf area, number of leaves, plant height, root length, plant fresh and dry weight and yield were recorded in all the treatments along with the untreated control. Tomato seeds treated with Trichoderma harzianum had higher seed germination percentage and chlorophyll content 95.50%, (2.41%), 42.59 SAPAD units (13.83%) respectively than untreated seed. Maximum leaf area and number of leaves 11.71 cm² (19.40%), 190.75 (15.43%) respectively recorded in the plants of Trichoderma harzianum treated seeds in water stress condition as compared to untreated seeds. Under extreme water stress condition plant height and root length of tomato plant increased significantly 98.25 cm, (19.45%), 41.25 cm (42.24%) respectively in Trichoderma harzianum treated seeds as compare to untreated seed. Also, Trichoderma harzianum seed treatment in tomato showed a significantly higher plant fresh and dry weight 189.43 g (8.65%) and 31.98 g (47.57%) respectively in drought condition as compared to untreated seeds. Trichoderma harzianum seed treatment played critical role in drought condition by increasing yield 731.25 g/plant (27.62%) increase over untreated seeds. Taken together, the study recommends that in drought condition for enhanced tomato growth Trichoderma harzianum should be used as eco-friendly solutions by seed treatment.

Respon Pertumbuhan Dan Hasil Tanaman Tomat (Lycopersicum Esculentum) Dengan Aplikasi PGPR

Vegetables like tomatoes are in high demand, grow in value annually, and are significant to the Indonesian economy. This study aims to determine the optimal PGPR type and its impact on tomato crop growth and yield. The study was carried out between November 2023 and February 2024. The research site at Green House is owned by the Faculty of Agriculture, PGRI University of Yogyakarta. This research method used a completely randomized design in three replications using multiple kinds of PGPR consisting of five levels: control, PGPR bamboo roots, PGPR sensitive plant roots, PGPR teakwood roots, and PGPR corn roots. The variables observed were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, fruit number, weight, and diameter. The data was evaluated using a real-scale analysis of variance and Duncan's multiple range test at a significant level of 5%. The result showed that the treatment of PGPR significantly affected plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, fruit number, weight, and diameter. The PGPR with sensitive plant root types had the best treatment for tomato growth and yield.

Mushroom residue and sheep manure fermentation with Bacillus promoted tomato growth via nutrient release and favorable microbial conditions

BackgroundSheep manure and mushroom residue are common agricultural waste which threaten environment but rich in mineral elements and organic matter. Even though fermentation and adding it to soil for crop growth is a commonly used approach, there are concerns about how efficient the fermentation process is and whether the microbial community remains safe for both the crops and those working in agriculture. We have discovered a composite microbial agent, previously known as CMA, that demonstrates significant efficacy in the fermentation of mushroom residue and sheep manure. Despite its high activity, the impact of this microbial agent on soil nutrient release, soil microbial composition, and plant growth remains still uncertain.ResultsAfter fermenting sheep manure and mushroom residue with Bacillus CMA, this study investigated the fermentation products mixed with vermiculite and perlite for the cultivation of tomato. The results demonstrate that the composite substrate align closely within the ideal range for seedling substrates. Notably, compounded with CMA compost products and vermiculite in a 2:1 ratio, yields the most favorable growth for tomato, which may be attributed to the increased nutrient release and most favorable microbial conditions. Moreover, it significantly decreased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria harmful to human and animal health, thereby reducing the risk to individuals engaged in field labor, and mitigating the threat of plant pathogenic bacteria.ConclusionsSheep manure and mushroom residue fermentation with CMA added significantly promoted tomatoes growth and reduced the risk of diseases in crops, animals, and people. These findings hold significant implications also for the reuse of agricultural biowaste and residues, besides the crop growth and safety of humans and animals in agricultural environments.Graphical

Simulation of tomato and corn growth using a modified intercropping model considering radiation interception in two-dimensional space and air temperature stress

Intercropping system has been widely applied in the agricultural production worldwide. However, the difference in agricultural productivity in tomato–corn intercropping system with different spatial arrangements has not been determined. Meanwhile, the existing intercropping models cannot precisely capture inter-species crop growth dynamics. Therefore, a 10-year (2010–2019) experimental field study was conducted in Hetao irrigation district, China, for the parameterization and evaluation of the model. The experiment data from the typical years (2018 and 2019) was adopted to analyze the crop growth dynamics in different hydrological years and different systems [two rows of tomato intercropping two rows of corn (IC2–2), four rows of tomato intercropping two rows of corn (IC4–2), sole corn (SC), and sole tomato (ST)]. Moreover, a modified intercropping model considering radiation interception in two-dimensional space and air temperature stress (MICG) was deduced. The results revealed that the MICG model can precisely simulate inter-species crop growth in tomato–corn intercropping system with different spatial arrangements. The mean relative error (MRE), normalized root mean square error (nRMSE), determination coefficient (R2), and percentage bias (PBIAS) of leaf area index (LAI) simulated by the MICG model in different spatial arrangements were 9.0 %, 7.8 %, 0.97, and –5.3 % for corn and 11.0 %, 7.8 %, 0.95, and 0.1 % for tomato, respectively. An apparent difference in the simulation accuracy was observed among different intercropping models in the rapid and senescence crop growth stages. The simulation accuracy of the MICG model was apparently higher than that of ICGw and ICG models. However, the MICG model still needs to be further improved considering its some limitations, e.g., the soil respiration and soil nitrogen transformation modules need be introduced in this model. Additionally, an apparent difference in crop growth dynamics in different spatial arrangements was observed, particularly in different hydrological years. The largest difference in crop growth dynamics in different spatial arrangements was observed in the middle crop growth stage (days after sowing [DAS] 20–100) in the wet year and in the late crop growth stage (DAS 101–140) in the dry year. In general, the highest aboveground biomass and yields of corn and tomato were observed in the IC2–2 and ST systems, respectively. However, the highest water use efficiency for corn (23.9) and tomato (268.7) was observed in the IC4–2 and ST systems, respectively. The agricultural production benefits in the IC4–2 system were better than in the IC2–2 system. Average land equivalent ratio and water equivalent ratio in both years increased by 0.8 % and 12.5 % in the IC4–2 system compared with those in the IC2–2 system, respectively. Overall, the IC4–2 system could be recommended as the most optimal spatial arrangement for the tomato–corn intercropping system.

Revealing mechanistic basis of ameliorating detrimental effects of cadmium in cherry tomatoes by exogenous application of melatonin and brassinosteroids

Increased anthropogenic activities over the last decades have led to a gradual increase in cadmium content in the soil, which, due to its high mobility in soil, makes Cd accumulation in plants a serious threat to the health of animals and humans. Plant hormones including melatonin (Mel) and brassinosteroids (BR) are known to provide tolerance against various abiotic stresses. In this work, the role of combined and separate exogenous application of Mel and BR on Cd stress in cherry tomato plants was examined. Cd stress significantly reduced tomato growth by inducing oxidative stress and reduced K+ uptake in roots and shoots. Combined application of Mel and BR reduced detrimental effects of Cd in tomato by (i) reducing Cd accumulation in the shoot; (ii) increasing the activities of different antioxidants (SOD, CAT, APX, GR); (iii) triggering higher expression of genes relating to Cd vacuolar sequestration (Na+/H+ EXCHANGER, SlNHX1; NATURAL RESISTANCE-ASSOCIATED MACROPHAGE PROTEIN 6, SlNRAMP6), and Cd transport and detoxification (HEAVY-METAL-ASSOCIATED 3, SlHMA3; PLANT CADMIUM RESISTANT 2, SlPCR2); and (iv) improving plant K+ homeostasis and contents in root and shoot. The latter trait was associated with the reduced gene expression of K+-permeable outward rectifying channel (SlGORK3), and transcriptional upregulation of high affinity potassium transporter 5 (SIHAK5) under Cd stress. A separate application of Mel and BR showed tissue-specific regulation of tomato growth and Cd tolerance by regulating antioxidant activities, K+ uptake, Cd uptake, and translocation from root to shoot and their endogenous contents. Melatonin per se was more effective in improving Cd tolerance in shoot while beneficial BR effects were more pronounced in roots, and their combined application was effective in both tissues. Taken together, reported results show tissue-specific regulation of Cd tolerance by Mel and BR in cherry tomato plants and demonstrate the efficiency of combined Mel + BR treatment as a practical tool to reduce Cd accumulation and mitigate its negative effects on plant growth.

Bioproducts derived from Bacillus stercoris isolate B.PNR1 and Streptomyces sp. isolate S.PNR29 for enhanced plant growth and disease control in tomato

ABSTRACT This study aims to develop a wettable formulation bioproduct from antagonistic bacteria, Bacillus stercoris isolate B.PNR1, and Streptomyces sp. isolate S.PNR29, targeting Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol), the cause of Fusarium wilt disease in tomatoes, while also promoting plant growth. The survivability of bacterial cells in the product was assessed over a 180-day period at 4°C and 28°C. The bioproducts demonstrated significant control of Fusarium wilt disease, with B. stercoris isolate B.PNR1 bioproducts exhibiting superior disease control percentages compared to Streptomyces sp. isolate S.PNR29 bioproducts and commercial alternatives. Additionally, the bioproducts positively influenced tomato seed germination and seedling growth, with Streptomyces sp. isolate S.PNR29 bioproducts showing better growth performance in terms of plant length, weight measurements, and seed germination. In conclusion, B. stercoris isolate B.PNR1 and Streptomyces sp. isolate S.PNR29 bioproducts emerge as promising biocontrol agents, showcasing sustained efficacy against Fol and significant positive impacts on plant growth, thereby highlighting their potential for sustainable agriculture practices.

Research on Multi-Step Fruit Color Prediction Model of Tomato in Solar Greenhouse Based on Time Series Data

Color change is the most obvious characteristic of the tomato ripening stage and an important indicator of the tomato ripening condition, which directly affects the commodity value of tomato. To visualize the color change of tomato fruit during the mature stage, this paper proposes a gated recurrent unit network with an encoder–decoder structure. This structure dynamically simulates the growth and development of tomatoes using time-dependent lines, incorporating real-time information such as tomato color and shape. Firstly, the .json file was converted into a mask.png file, the tomato mask was extracted, and the tomato was separated from the complex background environment, thus successfully constructing the tomato growth and development dataset. The experimental results showed that for the gated recurrent unit network with the encoder–decoder structure proposed, when the hidden layer number was 1 and hidden layer number was 512, a high consistency and similarity between the model predicted image sequence and the actual growth and development image sequence was realized, and the structural similarity index measure was 0.746. It was proved that when the average temperature was 24.93 °C, the average soil temperature was 24.06 °C, and the average light intensity was 11.26 Klux, the environment was the most suitable for tomato growth. The environmental data-driven tomato growth model was constructed to explore the growth status of tomato under different environmental conditions, and thus, to understand the growth status of tomato in time. This study provides a theoretical foundation for determining the optimal greenhouse environmental conditions to achieve tomato maturity and it offers recommendations for investigating the growth cycle of tomatoes, as well as technical assistance for standardized cultivation in solar greenhouses.

Adjusting Irrigation and Phosphate Fertilizer to Optimize Tomato Growth and Production

The efficient use of phosphate fertilizers and optimization of the amounts of irrigation water can maximize tomato growth and fruit production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different phosphorus (P) doses and sources on the growth and production components of tomato plants of the cultivar Gaúcho Melhorado Nova Seleção subjected to different irrigation water percentages. To achieve this, we set up an experiment using a factorial design to test the effects of four doses of P2O5 (corresponding to 25%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the recommended dose), two P sources (monoammonium phosphate—MAP and organomineral—OM), and four irrigation water percentages (50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% of field capacity). Tomato plant growth improved when water was supplied at a percentage close to 100% of field capacity, with increased plant height, leaf length, and number of flowers observed (increases of 11.95%, 7.33%, and 13.87%, respectively, compared to 50% of field capacity). However, both excess and deficit irrigation resulted in morphological changes in tomato plants. Additionally, we observed that OM was more effective than MAP in increasing plant diameter and number of flowers, with increases of up to 36.4% and 227.6%, respectively, when using OM. Conversely, tomato growth was negatively affected by higher doses of MAP doses, suggesting that 25% of the recommended dose may yield the best growth rates. We verified that tomato plants can compensate for low phosphorus doses by increasing productivity with higher water amounts (125%–42.40 t ha−1), but high phosphorus doses result in greater fruit production with lower water percentages (50%–41.52 t ha−1).

Mutual intercropping affects the growth and selenium content of cherry tomato seedlings

Intercropping can increase the utilization rate of light and water and can also improve plant growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the growth and selenium (Se) content in seedlings of three genotypes of cherry tomato under intercropping while applying Se. The pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. The monoculture of red, yellow and purple cherry tomato; among the three genotypes of cherry tomatoes, intercropping of two genotypes with each other, at the same time intercropping of three genotypes. These results show that the biomass increased under intercropping compared with monoculture. The chlorophyll b content of purple cherry tomato increased in different intercropping combinations. Furthermore, the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of purple were increased by intercropping with red and purple cherry tomatoes. The soluble protein and soluble sugar contents in yellow and purple cherry tomato increased by 49.13% and 8.37%, respectively, under mutual intercropping. Similarly, soluble sugar increased in purple cherry tomato by intercropping with yellow and red. The activities of superoxide and peroxidase in red and yellow cherry tomato seedlings were higher in all intercropping combinations than in monoculture, whereas free proline content and relative conductivity in all cherry tomatoes decreased. The Se content of roots, stem, and leaves in seedlings increased with intercropping. Therefore, intercropping can improve the growth and Se content of cherry tomatoes, and the combination of red, yellow and purple is better, which can be used to cultivate strong seedlings.

Utilizing endophytic plant growth-promoting bacteria and the nematophagous fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum as biocontrol agents against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on tomato plants

AbstractThe present investigation was designed to assess how administering biocontrol agents (BCAs) made from the nematophagous endophytic fungus MR20 (Purpureocillium lilacinum) or a mixture of endophytic plant growth-promoting bacteria MR12 (Pseudomonas fluorescens), and MR25 (Serratia marcescens), could enhance tomato growth and resistance to Meloidogyne incognita under in vivo conditions. The three strains’ cell-free culture filtrates showed a strong nematocidal impact (P &lt; 0.05) on M. incognita infective second-stage juveniles (J2s). The highest mortality rates by the three BCAs were at concentrations of 80%, followed by 60%, 40%, and 20%. The in vitro hatching of free eggs was found to be considerably (P &lt; 0.05) reduced as the concentrations of the endophytic bacteria MR12, and MR25 were increased in the order 1 × 105, 1 × 106, 1 × 107, 0.5 × 108, to 1 × 108 colony forming units (CFU)/mL, and the maximum nematicidal activity in killing M. incognita free eggs occurred at 1 × 108 CFU/mL. A statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05) reduction in the percentage of M. incognita-free eggs retrieved was seen in vitro when various concentrations of the endophytic fungus MR20 were applied compared to the negative control (distilled water). The endophytic fungus MR20 had the highest nematicidal activity against M. incognita free eggs at a concentration of 3 × 106 CFU/mL. The application of P. lilacinum or a combination of P. fluorescens and S. marcescens to tomato plants in the presence of M. incognita under greenhouse conditions resulted in a significant increase (P &lt; 0.05) in root and shoot fresh weight, number of leaves, weight of leaves, and stem diameter when compared to the positive control treatment that contained only M. incognita. Treatment with P. lilacinum was more effective (P &lt; 0.05) than P. fluorescens and S. marcescens in reducing egg masses per root, J2s per 100 g of soil, egg masses per 100 g of soil, J2s + eggs of M. incognita per 100 g of soil, reproduction factor, and reduction percentage after 60 days under greenhouse conditions. Nevertheless, the reduction of M. incognita gall size categorization (&gt; 4 mm, 2–4 mm, and &lt; 2 mm) was more effectively achieved by treatment with P. fluorescens and S. marcescens than by treatment with P. lilacinum. Under in vivo conditions, the tested P. lilacinum or a mixture of P. fluorescens and S. marcescens effectively controlled nematode population densities below the economic threshold.

Vertical non-uniform distribution of soil salinity enhances nitrogen utilization efficiency and influences δ15N distribution in tomato plants

Soil salinity typically exhibits non-uniform distribution in the natural environment. However, how vertically non-uniform distribution of soil salinity in the root zone (VNDSR) regulated plant nitrogen metabolism is still largely elusive. This study aimed to investigate the impact of VNDSR on leaf Malondialdehyde (MDA) content, upper and lower root activity, leaf Na+/Ca2+ and Na+/K+, various tomato organs’ nitrogen concentration (%) and natural abundance of nitrogen isotopes (δ15N,‰), and nitrogen utilization efficiency of tomato plants. Four treatments were established, including the upper layer of the root zone having soil salinity levels of 1 ‰, 1 ‰, 2 ‰, and 3 ‰, while the corresponding lower layer of the root zone had soil salinity levels of 1 ‰, 5 ‰, 4 ‰, and 3 ‰, respectively, denoted as T1:1, T1:5, T2:4, and T3:3. The results showed that under the same average soil salinity conditions and compared to the treatment with uniform soil salinity distribution in the root zone (T3:3), the VNDSR treatment (T1:5) significantly reduced leaf MDA content (p < 0.01), Na+/Ca2+ (p < 0.01) and Na+/K+ (p < 0.01), and stem δ15N values (p < 0.05). Moreover, the VNDSR treatment (T1:5) significantly increased the ratio of upper and lower root biomass-weighted root activity (p < 0.01), tomato fruit yield (p < 0.01), and nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFP, gg−1, p < 0.01) compared to uniform salt distribution treatment (T3:3). There were significant positive correlations (p < 0.05) between leaf δ15N values and Nitrogen Absorption Ratio (NAR, %, p < 0.05) and PFP (p < 0.05), indicating that under VNDSR, δ15N values can serve as an indicator that comprehensively reflects the information of plant nitrogen utilization efficiency. In conclusion, the VNDSR could mitigate the damage of salt stress to tomatoes, enhance plant nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency, and promote the growth and development of tomatoes. Data AvailabilityThe datasets generated or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Regulatory Peptide Encoded by the Primary Transcript of miR396a Influences Gene Expression and Root Development in Solanum lycopersicum.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the processing products of primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) that regulate the expression of target genes. Recent studies have demonstrated that some pri-miRNAs can encode small peptides (miPEPs) that perform significant biological functions. The function of miPEPs in tomatoes, an important model horticultural crop, remains to be investigated. Here, we characterized the primary sequence of tomato miR396a using 5' RACE and confirmed the presence of miPEP396a in tomato by verifying the translational activity of the start codon. It primarily resides in the nucleus to exert its function and additionally regulates the expression of pri-miR396a, miR396a, and its target genes. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses showed that in vitro synthesis of miPEP396a significantly increased the expression of genes related to phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and hormones in tomato. Meanwhile, our in vitro application of miPEP396a in tomato significantly inhibited the elongation of tomato primary roots. In conclusion, our results indicate that miPEP396a regulates root growth in tomato by specifically promoting miR396a expression, provide insight into the function of miPEPs in tomato and potential applications.

Moderately Elevated Temperature Offsets the Adverse Effects of Waterlogging Stress on Tomato.

Global warming and waterlogging stress due to climate change are expected to continue influencing agricultural production worldwide. In the field, two or more environmental stresses usually happen simultaneously, inducing more complex responses in plants compared with individual stresses. Our aim was to clarify how the two key factors (temperature and water) interacted and influenced physiological response and plant growth in tomatoes under ambient temperature, moderately elevated temperature, waterlogging stress, and moderately elevated temperature and waterlogging stress. The results showed that leaf photosynthesis was inhibited by waterlogging stress but enhanced by elevated temperature, as shown by both the light- and temperature-response curves. The elevated temperature decreased leaf water-use efficiency, but enhanced plant growth and fresh and dry weights of plants under both normal water supply and waterlogging stress conditions. Elevated temperature generally decreased the anthocyanin and flavonol index in tomato leaves compared with the control temperature, regardless of water status. The increase in the optimal temperature was more pronounced in plants under normal irrigation than under waterlogging stress. Waterlogging stress significantly inhibited the root length, and leaf number and area, while the moderately elevated temperature significantly enhanced the leaf number and area. Overall, the moderately elevated temperature offset the effects of waterlogging stress on tomato plants, as shown by leaf gas exchange, plant size, and dry matter accumulation. Our study will improve the understanding of how tomatoes respond to increasing temperature and excess water.

Endophytic actinomycetes promote growth and fruits quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum): an approach for sustainable tomato production.

Tomato, a fruit with a high vitamin content, is popular for consumption and economically important in Thailand. However, in the past year, the extensive usage of chemicals has significantly decreased tomato yields. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an alternative that can help improve tomato production system growth and yield quality while using fewer chemicals. The present study aimed to determine whether endophytic actinomycetes promote growth and fruit quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The experiment was conducted in a net-houses at the Center for Agricultural Resource System Research, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai province, Thailand. The randomized completely block design (RCBD) was carried out for four treatments with three replications, which was control, inoculation with TGsR-03-04, TGsL-02-05 and TGsR-03-04 with TGsL-02-05 in tomato plant. Isolated Actinomycetes spp. of each treatment was then inoculated into the root zone of tomato seedlings and analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The height of tomato plants was measured at 14, 28, 56, and 112 days after transplanting. Final yield and yield quality of tomato was assessed at the maturity phase. The SEM result illustrated that the roots of tomato seedlings from all treatments were colonized by endophytic actinomycetes species. This contributed to a significant increase in plant height at 14 days after transplanting (DAT), as found in the TGsR-03-04 treatment (19.40 cm) compared to the control. Besides, all inoculated treatments enhanced tomato yield and yield quality. The highest weight per fruit (47.38 g), fruit length (52.37 mm), vitamin C content (23.30 mg 100g-1), and lycopene content (145.92µg g-1) were obtained by inoculation with TGsR-03-04. Moreover, the highest yield (1.47 kg plant-1) was obtained by inoculation with TGsL-02-05. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of fruits per plant, fruit width, brix, and antioxidant activity when various inoculations of endophytic actinomycetes were applied. Therefore, the use of endophytic actinomycetes in tomato cultivation may be an alternative to increase tomato yield and yield quality.

Selenite improves growth by modulating phytohormone pathways and reprogramming primary and secondary metabolism in tomato plants

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient in organisms that has a significant impact on physiological activity and gene expression in plants, thereby affecting growth and development. Humans and animals acquire Se from plants. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable crop worldwide. Improving the Se nutrient level not only is beneficial for growth, development and stress resistance in tomato plants but also contributes to improving human health. However, the molecular basis of Se-mediated tomato plant growth has not been fully elucidated. In this study, using physiological and transcriptomic analyses, we investigated the effects of a low dosage of selenite [Se(Ⅳ)] on tomato seedling growth. Se(IV) enhanced the photosynthetic efficiency and increased the accumulation of soluble sugars, dry matter and organic matter, thereby promoting tomato plant growth. Transcriptome analysis revealed that Se(IV) reprogrammed primary and secondary metabolic pathways, thus modulating plant growth. Se(IV) also increased the concentrations of auxin, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid in leaves and the concentration of cytokinin in roots, thus altering phytohormone signaling pathways and affecting plant growth and stress resistance in tomato plants. Furthermore, exogenous Se(IV) alters the expression of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, thereby modulating plant growth and development in tomato plants. Taken together, these findings provide important insights into the regulatory mechanisms of low-dose Se(IV) on tomato growth and contribute to the breeding of Se-accumulating tomato cultivars.

Effect of Growth Stage-based Water Stress on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicon L.) in Semi-arid Regions of Tigray, Ethiopia

Water availability is a major concern in regions with limited water resources. Implementation of best irrigation water management methods can maximize crop yields and irrigation water use efficiency. An experiment was conducted in Laelay Koraro district, Tigray, Ethiopia for two consecutive years (2018 and 2019 off seasons) to investigate the effect of growth stage-based deficit irrigation on tomato yield, yield characteristics and water usage efficiency. The experiment used a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments were three irrigation levels (100%, 50%, and 25% of crop irrigation requirement) and four FAO-defined tomato growth stages (initial, developmental, mid, and late seasons). Data on agronomic parameters and irrigation water were collected and analyzed statistically. The results revealed that reducing irrigation amount by up to 75% during the development growth stage significantly decreased marketable yield by up to 66.5%. However, the highest water use efficiency (9.2kgm-3) was achieved by reducing irrigation amount by 75% at the end-growth stage of tomato. Treatments with the lowest water use efficiency (3.5kgm-3) were those receiving 75% less irrigation amount than the full requirement during the development growth stage. Irrigation deficit up to 75% of the full requirement during tomato development stages greatly affect marketable yield and water use efficiency. Therefore, the tomato crop is highly susceptible to water stress when receiving more than a 50% reduction in full irrigation requirement during its developmental growth stage.

Effect of vermicompost enriched with bacterial endophytes (Azospirillum and Rhizobium) on growth and yield of tomato

The extensive use of chemical fertilizers has served as a response to the increasing need for crop production in recent decades. While it addresses the demand for food, it has resulted in a decline in crop productivity and a heightened negative environmental impact. In contrast, bacterial endophytes namely Azospirillum and Rhizobium and vermicompost offer a promising alternative to mitigate the negative consequences of chemical fertilizers. It can enhance nutrient availability, promote plant growth, and improve nutrient uptake efficiency, thereby reducing the reliance on chemical fertilizers. In this study, two bacterial endophytes Azospirillum and Rhizobium, combination with vermicompost and chemical fertilizer were used to investigate their potential role in the enhancement of growth yields of tomato. The inoculation of bacterial endophytes enhanced the root and shoot length, biomass and leaf chlorophyll contents. The fruit weight of the tomato (kg/plant) was also higher in the vermicompost and bacteria inoculated plants of tomato than in the chemical fertilizer. The mixed application of vermicompost with the combination of Azospirillum and Rhizobium showed the best performance compared to other treatments.

Biostimulant and antagonistic potential of endophytic fungi against fusarium wilt pathogen of tomato Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

Endophytic fungal-based biopesticides are sustainable and ecologically-friendly biocontrol agents of several pests and diseases. However, their potential in managing tomato fusarium wilt disease (FWD) remains unexploited. This study therefore evaluated effectiveness of nine fungal isolates against tomato fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) in vitro using dual culture and co-culture assays. The efficacy of three potent endophytes that inhibited the pathogen in vitro was assessed against FWD incidence, severity, and ability to enhance growth and yield of tomatoes in planta. The ability of endophytically-colonized tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants to systemically defend themselves upon exposure to FOL were also assessed through defence genes expression using qPCR. In vitro assays showed that endophytes inhibited and suppressed FOL mycelial growth better than entomopathogenic fungi (EPF). Endophytes Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4, Hypocrea lixii F3ST1, Trichoderma harzianum KF2R41, and Trichoderma atroviride ICIPE 710 had the highest (68.84–99.61%) suppression and FOL radial growth inhibition rates compared to EPF which exhibited lowest (27.05–40.63%) inhibition rates. Endophytes T. asperellum M2RT4, H. lixii F3ST1 and T. harzianum KF2R41 colonized all tomato plant parts. During the in planta experiment, endophytically-colonized and FOL-infected tomato plants showed significant reduction of FWD incidence and severity compared to non-inoculated plants. In addition, these endophytes contributed to improved growth promotion parameters and yield. Moreover, there was significantly higher expression of tomato defence genes in T. asperellum M2RT4 colonized than in un-inoculated tomato plants. These findings demonstrated that H. lixii F3ST1 and T. asperellum M2RT4 are effective biocontrol agents against FWD and could sustainably mitigate tomato yield losses associated with fusarium wilt.

Effect of Phenological Basis Deficit Irrigation on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.)

The availability of water is a major concern in regions with limited water resources. In such regions, the focus of irrigation management shifted from producing per unit area to producing per unit of water consumed, water productivity. An experiment was carried out, for two consecutive years( 2020 and 2021) at the research farm of Shire-Maitsebri Agricultural Research Center, Tselemty district, Tigray, Ethiopia to exmine the response of tomato to deficit irrigation at various growth stages. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Combination of three irrigation regimes (100%, 50%, and 25% of full irrigation requirement) and four FAO-defined tomato growth stages (initial, developmental, mid, and late seasons) were considered to form a total of nine treatments. Data on agronomy and irrigation water were collected and analyzed statistically. The results revealed that reducing irrigation amount up to 75% during the development growth stage significantly decreased marketable yield by 66.5%. However, the highest water use efficiency (9.2 kg/m3) was achieved by reducing irrigation amount by 75% during the end-growth stage of tomatoes. Treatments with the lowest water use efficiency (3.5 kg/m3) were those receiving 75% less irrigation amount than the full requirement during the development growth stage. Reducing irrigation to less than 75% of the full requirement during tomato development stages can greatly impact marketable yield and water use efficiency. Therefore, the tomato crop is highly susceptible to water stress when receiving more than 50% of the full irrigation requirement during its developmental growth stage.