Growth Of Tomato Plants Research Articles

Tomato performance and changes in soil chemistry in response to salinity and Na/Ca ratio of irrigation water

Although unconventional water can be applied as an alternative for agricultural production, inappropriate irrigation water quality may adversely affect the soil crop system. Thus, field experiments under mulched drip irrigation were performed over three years (2017–2019) to investigate the impacts of three salinity (1, 2 and 3 g·L−1) with five Na:Ca molar ratios (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9) of irrigation water on tomato plant growth, fruit development, soil salt accumulation and soil sodium adsorption ratio. The results showed that, with irrigation water salinity of 1 g·L−1, the critical value of irrigation water Na:Ca molar ratio for the high yield and dry matter accumulation was 3 and 5, respectively, while the threshold for high concentration of vitamin C and lycopene was 7. With the irrigation water salinity of 2 g·L−1 and 3 g·L−1, the Na:Ca molar ratio threshold for a high concentration of soluble solids, vitamin C and lycopene was 5. Moreover, considering the increase of plant nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation, the decrease of sodium adsorption ratio at 40–100 cm soil layer inside the film, and the diminution of soil salt accumulation at 0–100 cm layer, irrigation water with higher salinity and lower Na:Ca molar ratio was more proper than that with lower salinity and higher Na:Ca molar ratio. Based on the multi-objective optimization with entropy-weight TOPSIS method, irrigation water with a salinity level at 2 g·L−1 and the Na:Ca molar ratio at 5 was suggested for tomato planting in the Yinbei Yellow River Irrigation District, China.

Application of biostimulants promotes growth and productivity of heat-stressed tomato (Solanum lycoperosicum) plants.

Application of biostimulants promotes growth and productivity of heat-stressed tomato (Solanum lycoperosicum) plants.

Advance an Automated Indoor Hydroponic Unit for Plant Growth Detection with Compatible for Two Different Plant Varieties

The study aimed to design and fabricate an automated indoor hydroponic plant growth chamber, by comparing the manual system to determine plant growth and development and the sub-objective was to send data to the IoT platform. The sensor-based automated system incorporated pH, TDS, temperature, and humidity sensors, controlled by solenoid valves using Arduino. Tomato and lettuce plants were grown in both systems and growth parameters were measured. The results showed that the automated system maintained consistent temperature, humidity, pH, and EC levels similar to the outdoor system (vary in 30-32, 52-79, 5.5-6.5, and 1.5-2.5 dS/m ranges respectively). Furthermore, the automated indoor system significantly enhanced the plant growth of tomato and lettuce plants compared to the manual system. Significantly higher plant heights of 27.9±1.9 cm and 27.4±4.9 cm, the leaf lengths of 3.2±0.1 cm and 3.9±0.1 cm were observed for the tomatoes and the lettuces respectively in the automated indoor system. A significant difference was observed between the SPAD reading of the automated indoor tomato of 30±0.9 and the outdoor tomato of 26±0.4. Similarly, SPAD readings for the automated indoor lettuce of 23±0.3 and outdoor lettuce of 17±0.5 were significantly different (Pr=<0.0001, Pr≤0.05). These findings highlight the effectiveness of the automated hydroponic system in accommodating plant preferences and its potential for improving agricultural practices. By integrating IoT platforms for data analysis, this technology can optimize plant growth, enhance yields, and facilitate informed decision-making in hydroponic farming.

Effect of Different Sources of Organic Manures on Plant Growth and Flowering Parameters of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) var. Kashi Aman under Bundelkhand Region

The present investigation entitled “Effect of different sources of organic manures on plant growth and flowering parameters of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) var. Kashi Aman under Bundelkhand region” was carried out at Organic Research farm at Karguan ji, Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) during Rabi season of 2021- 2022. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with 8 treatments and 3 replications. The detail of treatments were as T0 (Control), T1 (FYM100%), T2 (Poultry manure 100%), T3 (Vermicompost 100%), T4 (FYM 50% + Poultry manure 50%), T5 (Poultry manure 50% + Vermicompost 50%), T6 (Vermicpost 50% + F YM 50%), T7 (FYM 33% + Poultry 33% + Vermicompost 33%). The data were collected from five random ly selected plant of each treatment and subjected to statistical analysis. The results reflected that among 8 treatments under study, treatment T7 (FYM 33% + Poultry 33% + Vermicompost 33%) was best in all characters and recorded maximum in term of plant height (18.607 cm at 30 DAT), (46.333 cm at 60 DAT), (75.913 cm at 90 DAT) number of branches (5.467 at 30 DAT), (12.933 at 60 DAT), (16.533 at 90 DAT) stem diameter (3.167 cm at 30 DAT), (7.233 cm at 60 DAT), (12.140 cm at 90 DAT) plant spread (2.467 cm N-S & 22.023 cm E-W at 30 DAT), (42.633cm N-S & 41.200 cm E-W at 60 DAT),( 63.467 N-S & 62.300cm E-W at 90 DAT) and better plant growth of tomato promote the number of flower per clusters with the application of treatment T7 (FYM 33%+ Poultry 33%+Vermicompost 33%) which were significantly highest in terms of number of flower per cluster (18.517), days of first flowering (30.243) and days of 50% flowering (38.340), whereas similar trend was closely followed by the treatment T6 (Vermicpost 50%+FYM 50%) for these traits, while the constantly lower performance in similar growth and flowering traits at all growth stages was recorded with treatment T0 (Control). These findings are reliable for increasing organic and chemical free tomato production under Bundelkhand region.

Biofertilizer and lighting as factors affecting tomato growth, development and biochemical composition

A comprehensive study of growth and biochemical composition of the Blagodatny variety tomato plants grown with the use of bacterial spores Bacillus cereus strain 96 under continuous LED lighting based on full spectrum photons in the proportion B: G: R: FR ~ 17: 23: 43: 17 was conducted. Plants grown with high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) without bacterial culture action were used as controls. A number of parameters reflecting plant growth and quality of tomato fruits were studied - the content of photosynthetic pigments, dry matter and organic acids. It was shown that during the growing season, tomato plants grown under LED illumination had a longer shoot length compared to the plants in the sodium variant. The action of the bacteria manifested itself during fruit ripening with significant differences under both sodium and LED lighting. The effect of dry matter under the influence of bacteria on the plants grown with sodium lighting did not differ from the control variant. The observed differences became more pronounced and reliably significant in the plants under LED lighting. Application of B. cereus bacterial culture increased the concentration of chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids compared to the control. When evaluating the effect of different types of lighting and the use of B. cereus bacteria on the accumulation of organic acids in fruits, it was found that LED lighting had a better effect on the synthesis of organic acids. Tomato plants treated with B. cereus were distinguished by the formation of fruits with a high content of succinic, malic and citric acids with a sodium type of lighting. When analyzing the fruits of tomato plants grown under LED lighting, a change in the accumulation of only succinic acid was noted. The use of different lighting sources and biofertilizers caused changes in the development of tomato plants under climate chamber conditions.

Effect of Biochar Application on Morpho-Physiological Traits, Yield, and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato Crop under Water Quality and Drought Stress.

The use of saline water under drought conditions is critical for sustainable agricultural development in arid regions. Biochar is used as a soil amendment to enhance soil properties such as water-holding capacity and the source of nutrition elements of plants. Therefore, the experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar application on the morpho-physiological traits and yield of tomatoes under combined salinity and drought stress in greenhouses. There were 16 treatments consist two water quality fresh and saline (0.9 and 2.3 dS m-1), three deficit irrigation levels (DI) 80, 60, and 40% addition 100% of Evapotranspiration (ETc), and biochar application by rate 5% (BC5%) (w/w) and untreated soil (BC0%). The results indicated that the salinity and water deficit negatively affected morphological, physiological, and yield traits. In contrast, the application of biochar improved all traits. The interaction between biochar and saline water leads to decreased vegetative growth indices, leaf gas exchange, the relative water content of leaves (LRWC), photosynthetic pigments, and yield, especially with the water supply deficit (60 and 40% ETc), where the yield decreased by 42.48% under the highest water deficit at 40% ETc compared to the control. The addition of biochar with freshwater led to a significantly increased vegetative growth, physiological traits, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and less proline content under all various water treatments compared to untreated soil. In general, biochar combined with DI and freshwater could improve morpho-physiological attributes, sustain the growth of tomato plants, and increase productivity in arid and semi-arid regions.

Bacillus velezensis FX-6 suppresses the infection of Botrytis cinerea and increases the biomass of tomato plants.

Botrytis cinerea causing tomato gray mold is a major cause of economic loss in tomato production. It is urgent and necessary to seek an effective and environmentally friendly control strategy to control tomato grey mold disease. In this study, Bacillus velezensis FX-6 isolated from the rhizosphere of plants displayed significant inhibitory ability against B. cinerea and could promote tomato plant growth. FX-6 could effectively inhibit the growth of Botrytis cinerea mycelium in vitro and in vivo, and the inhibitory rate in vitro could reach 78.63%. According to morphological observations and phylogenetic trees based on sequences of the 16S rDNA and gyrA (DNA gyrase subunit A) genes, the strain FX-6 was identified as Bacillus velezensis. In addition, B. velezensis FX-6 showed antagonistic activity against seven phytopathogens, this indicated that FX-6 had broad-spectrum biocontrol activity. We also found that FX-6 fermentation broth had the strongest antagonistic activity against B. cinerea when the culture time was 72 hours, and the inhibition rate was 76.27%. The growth promotion test revealed that strain FX-6 significantly promoted tomato seed germination and seedling growth. Further deeply study on growth-promoting mechanism indicated that the FX-6 produced IAA and siderophore, and had ACC deaminase activity. The trait of significant biological control activity and growth promoting effect on tomato imply that B. velezensis FX-6 has the potential to be used as a biocontrol agent for tomato gray mold management.

The Effective Combination of Humic Acid Phosphate Fertilizer Regulating the Form Transformation of Phosphorus and the Chemical and Microbial Mechanism of Its Phosphorus Availability

In the process of phosphate fertilizer production, adding humic acid to produce humic-acid-value-added phosphate fertilizer can improve fertilizer efficiency and promote crop growth. Although studies have primarily focused on investigating the impact of humic acid’s structure and function on phosphorus availability in humic-acid-added phosphate fertilizers, there is limited research on the regulatory effects of phosphorus fertilizer structure and the synergistic mechanisms involving microorganisms. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the chemical and biological mechanisms underlying the increased efficiency of humic-acid-added phosphate fertilizers by implementing various treatment processes. These processes included physically blending humic acid with phosphate fertilizer (HA+P), chemically synthesizing humic acid phosphate fertilizer (HAP), using commercially available humic acid phosphate fertilizer (SHAP), employing ordinary potassium phosphate fertilizer (P), and implementing a control treatment with no phosphate fertilizer (CK). Investigating the synergistic mechanism of humic-acid-added phosphate fertilizers holds significant importance. The results showed that during the preparation of HAP at high temperature, a new absorption peak appeared at 1101 cm−1, and a new chemical bond -O- was formed. The hydroxyl fracture in humic acid combined with phosphoric acid to form a phosphate ester (P-O-C=O) structure. HAP residues were concentrated on the surface and loaded with more soil minerals. The content of highly active oxygen-containing functional groups—such as aromatic C-O, carboxyl/amide carbon and carbonyl carbon—increased significantly, while the content of alkyl carbon, oxyalkyl carbon, and aromatic carbon decreased. Upon combining humic acid with potassium phosphate, the carboxyl group and calcium ions formed the HA-m-P complex, increasing the content of soluble phosphate (H2PO4−) in the soil by 1.71%. Compared to HA+P treatment, HAP treatment significantly increased the soil’s available P content by 13.8–47.7% (P < 0.05). The plant height, stem diameter, and above-ground biomass of HAP treatment were increased by 21.3%, 15.31%, and 61.02%, respectively, and the total accumulations of N, P, and K nutrient elements were increased by 6.71%, 31.13%, and 41.40%, respectively, compared to the control treatment. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that the rhizosphere soil of HA+P and HAP treatment was rich in bacterial groups, the soil microbial structure was changed, and the bacterial community diversity was increased under HAP treatment. The number of genes encoding phytase and alkaline phosphatase associated with organophosphorus dissolution increased by 3.23% and 2.90%, respectively, in HAP treatment. Humic acid phosphate fertilizer forms phosphate esters in the process of chemical preparation. After application, the soil’s microbial community structure is changed, and soil enzyme activity related to phosphorus transformation is improved to promote tomatoes’ absorption of soil nutrients, thus promoting tomato plant growth and nutrient accumulation.

Abscisic acid mimic-fluorine derivative 4 alleviates water deficit stress by regulating ABA-responsive genes, proline accumulation, CO2 assimilation, water use efficiency and better nutrient uptake in tomato plants.

Water deficit represents a serious limitation for agriculture and both genetic and chemical approaches are being used to cope with this stress and maintain plant yield. Next-generation agrochemicals that control stomatal aperture are promising for controlling water use efficiency. For example, chemical control of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling through ABA-receptor agonists is a powerful method to activate plant adaptation to water deficit. Such agonists are molecules able to bind and activate ABA receptors and, although their development has experienced significant advances in the last decade, few translational studies have been performed in crops. Here, we describe protection by the ABA mimic-fluorine derivative 4 (AMF4) agonist of the vegetative growth in tomato plants subjected to water restriction. Photosynthesis in mock-treated plants is markedly impaired under water deficit conditions, whereas AMF4 treatment notably improves CO2 assimilation, the relative plant water content and growth. As expected for an antitranspirant molecule, AMF4 treatment diminishes stomatal conductance and transpiration in the first phase of the experiment; however, when photosynthesis declines in mock-treated plants as stress persists, higher photosynthetic and transpiration parameters are recorded in agonist-treated plants. Additionally, AMF4 increases proline levels over those achieved in mock-treated plants in response to water deficit. Thus water deficit and AMF4 cooperate to upregulate P5CS1 through both ABA-independent and ABA-dependent pathways, and therefore, higher proline levels are produced Finally, analysis of macronutrients reveals higher levels of Ca, K and Mg in AMF4- compared to mock-treated plants subjected to water deficit. Overall, these physiological analyses reveal a protective effect of AMF4 over photosynthesis under water deficit and enhanced water use efficiency after agonist treatment. In summary, AMF4 treatment is a promising approach for farmers to protect the vegetative growth of tomatoes under water deficit stress.

Effect of nitrogen application on enhancing high-temperature stress tolerance of tomato plants during the flowering and fruiting stage.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen application on growth, photosynthetic performance, nitrogen metabolism activities, and fruit quality of tomato plants under high-temperature (HT) stress. Three levels of daily minimum/daily maximum temperature were adopted during the flowering and fruiting stage, namely control (CK; 18°C/28°C), sub-high temperature (SHT; 25°C/35°C), and high-temperature (HT; 30°C/40°C) stress. The levels of nitrogen (urea, 46% N) were set as 0 (N1), 125 (N2), 187.5 (N3), 250 (N4), and 312.5 (N5) kg hm2, respectively, and the duration lasted for 5 days (short-term). HT stress inhibited the growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomato plants. Interestingly, short-term SHT stress improved growth and yield via higher photosynthetic efficiency and nitrogen metabolism whereas fruit quality was reduced. Appropriate nitrogen application can enhance the high-temperature stress tolerance of tomato plants. The maximum net photosynthetic rate (P Nmax), stomatal conductance (g s), stomatal limit value (LS), water-use efficiency (WUE), nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), soluble protein, and free amino acids were the highest in N3, N3, and N2, respectively, for CK, SHT, and HT stress, whereas carbon dioxide concentration (C i), was the lowest. In addition, maximum SPAD value, plant morphology, yield, Vitamin C, soluble sugar, lycopene, and soluble solids occurred at N3-N4, N3-N4, and N2-N3, respectively, for CK, SHT, and HT stress. Based on the principal component analysis and comprehensive evaluation, we found that the optimum nitrogen application for tomato growth, yield, and fruit quality was 230.23kg hm2 (N3-N4), 230.02kg hm2 (N3-N4), and 115.32kg hm2 (N2), respectively, at CK, SHT, and HT stress. Results revealed that the high yield and good fruit quality of tomato plants at high temperatures can be maintained by higher photosynthesis, nitrogen efficiency, and nutrients with moderate nitrogen.

THE APPLICATION OF BABADOTAN (AGERATUM CONYZOIDES, L) EXTRACT PGPR WITH DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS AND INTERVALS ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO (LYCOPERCUM ESCULENTUM, MILL)


 This study aims to determine the effect of babadotan PGPR application with different concentrations and intervals on the growth and yield of tomato plants. This research was conducted at the Plant Production Laboratory, Department of Food Crops and Horticulture, Kupang State Agricultural Polytechnic in April-November 2021. The design used was a factorial randomized block design. The first factor was the PGPR concentration which consisted of 5 levels, namely 0 ml/L, 5 ml/L, 10 ml/L, 15 ml/L and 20 ml/L; while the second factor is the PGPR concentration interval which consists of 3 levels, namely 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Each factor was repeated three times so that the total number of experimental units was (5 x 3) x 3 = 45 experimental units. Observational variables of tomato growth include plant height, number of leaves and plant stem diameter. While the yield observation variables include the number of fruit and fruit weight of tomato plants. The data obtained were analyzed using the F test. If there were significant differences between the factors tested, then the analysis was continued with the BNT test. The results showed that the concentration of PGPR from babadotan extract 20 ml/liter with intervals every 2 weeks had a significant effect on plant height at 6 WAP and stem diameter at 6 MST. Differences in the concentration of PGPR in babadotan extract and the interval of application significantly affected the weight per fruit of tomato plants.

Efficacy of TUVA a growth biostimulant growth regulator based on plant origin amino acid blend and its impact on the performance of Tomato, Cucumber, and Paprika (Bell pepper) under Greenhouse Conditions

In a greenhouse study on tomato, cucumber, and paprika, the effectiveness of TUVA product, a biostimulant and plant growth regulator manufactured from plant-origin amino acids used as organic fertilizer, was assessed. The goal of this study was to determine whether using the TUVA biostimulant, which is based on soybean and seaweed extracts and contains rich microelements essential for plant growth, can ensure good crop yield and quality in tomato, cucumber, and paprika plants growth and productivity. Over six months, the study was held in Mersin, Turkey, at three distinct sites. We looked at the physiological reactions of tomato, cucumber, and paprika plants that were grown in greenhouses and given TUVA biostimulant treatments. The use of the TUVA biostimulant increased plant height by 15% and biomass by 20%, as well as the number of fruits produced and total yield (up to 20.2%). The findings demonstrated that the TUVA product considerably improved all three crops' tonnage, homogeneous size, fruit quantity, and earliness. The fruits' quality was also improved by the TUVA product, which increased their marketability. The findings demonstrate a substantial positive correlation (R=0.9) between the TUVA product and each of the three crops' properties. The correlation coefficients further demonstrate the significant relationship (p ≤0.05) among variables. According to the trial's findings, the TUVA product has promise as a plant growth regulator for usage in greenhouse environments. It can considerably (p ≤0.05) increase the productivity and quality of tomato, cucumber, and paprika crops, and it is safe to use. According to the findings of this research, TUVA is a promising novel growth biostimulant that has the potential to enhance the performance of tomato, cucumber, and paprika plants cultivated in greenhouse environments. The methods by which TUVA improves plant development and productivity need more investigation, but the results of this study indicate that TUVA is a useful tool for producers who want to raise the yield and quality of their crops.

Vermicompost Leachate a Viable Bio-stimulant for Tomato Growth and Yield (Solanum lycopersicum)

Background: The influence of inorganic fertilizer has posed considerable challenges on increasing food production worldwide. A careful plan is required to increase the yield and quality of crops. A profound knowledge on the use of organic manure involvement in plant growth and development could be beneficial for food production. The use of acceptable inorganic and different concentrations of vermicompost has been used in an attempt to enhance crop growth and development with the aim of increasing food production. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of vermicompost tea concentrate extracted from cow manure and grass cutting on physiological responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).Vegetative growth and yield of tomato was stimulated by mineralization of organic waste coupled with the mesophilic action of earthworm. Vermicompost is a by-product of earthworm tissues. It is a nutrient source rich in essential components for plant growth and development. Methods: An investigation was conducted in pot media under exposed natural conditions from August 2020 to November 2020 at Mangosuthu University of Technology. In this experiment, the growth of tomato plants were subjected to different vermicompost concentrations and amended with NPK fertilizer were studied. Sandy loam soil of about 5 kg were weighted into pot media (2.0mheight, 2.3m diameter). The experiment was set up in a completely randomized block design consisting of five treatments with five replicates per treatment. Treatments included: Positive control (PC), 5%VCL+NPK, 10% VCL+NPK, 20%VCL+NPK and the inorganic (NPK). Result: revealed that there were significant differences at (P less than 0.01) among the treatments with respect to plant height and number of leaves from week three to week eight. Similar trends were found with 5% VCL+NPK, 10% VCL+NPK, 20% VCL+NPK and the NPK treatments. This may be due to phytohormone release from earthworm tissue. Tomato flower inflorescence was significant at (P less than 0.01). Tomato fruit, different components at harvest which were, weight wet and dry weight were higher with NPK treated at (P less than 0.01) than the 5% VCL+NPK, 10% VCL+NPK. Root length in 20% concentration was considerably higher than the other treatments. The results showed that minimum supplementation with inorganic fertiliser may be necessary with vermicompost leachate in order to successfully grow crops in nutrient deficient soil.

Ef fect of rhizobacteria isolated from Suaeda sp. in the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum L. (Sahariana)

The rhizosphere of the great diversity of plants is a complex ecosystem that houses thousands of rhizobacteria that promote plant growth. In the current investigation, three bacteria were isolated from the root of Suaeda sp., which were evaluated to determine the ef fect of their inoculation on Arabidopsis thaliana at distances of 2 and 5 cm and in divided boxes. In the 2 cm test, we noticed that Endo10(7) and Endo10(5) stimulated the plants more than the control, while the proximity to Ecto10(6) caused them to wilt and die. However, at 5 cm, the bacterium that most promoted the development of Arabidopsis was Ecto10(6). In the divided box test, all three bacteria showed the ability to promote growth. In addition, a shade mesh assay was carried out with the inoculation of the bacteria in Solanum lycopersicum L. (Sahariana) and it was found that the promoting ef fect was also observed in the germination and growth of tomato plants. Tests were conducted to determine its ability to produce IAA, siderophores, and solubilize phosphates. Through molecular techniques it was confirmed: the identity of Ecto10(6), Endo10(7), and Endo10(5) as Aneurinibacillus migulanus, Staphylococcus sp. and Bacillus cereus, respectively. Our results provide the rationale for suggesting that these rhizobacteria may increase the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum.

Potential Benefits of Seed Priming under Salt Stress Conditions on Physiological, and Biochemical Attributes of Micro-Tom Tomato Plants.

Pre-sowing seed priming is one of the methods used to improve the performance of tomato plants under salt stress, but its effect photosynthesis, yield, and quality have not yet been well investigated. This experiment aimed to alleviate the impact of sodium chloride stress on the photosynthesis parameters of tomato cv. Micro-Tom (a dwarf Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants exposed to salt stress conditions. Each treatment combination consisted of five different sodium chloride concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM) and four priming treatments (0 MPa, -0.4 MPa, -0.8 MPa, and -1.2 MPa), with five replications. Microtome seeds were subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) treatments for 48 hours for priming, followed by germination on a moist filter paper, and then transferred to the germination bed after 24 h. Subsequently, the seedlings were transplanted into the Rockwool, and the salinity treatments were administered after a month. In our study salinity significantly affected tomato plants' physiological and antioxidant attributes. Primed seeds produced plants that exhibited relatively better photosynthetic activity than those grown from unprimed seeds. Our findings indicated that priming doses of -0.8 MPa and -1.2 MPa were the most effective at stimulating tomato plant photosynthesis, and biochemical contents under salinity-related conditions. Moreover, primed plants demonstrated relatively superior fruit quality features such as fruit color, fruit Brix, sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), organic acids, and vitamin C contents under salt stress, compared to non-primed plants. Furthermore, priming treatments significantly decreased the malondialdehyde, proline, and hydrogen peroxide content in plant leaves. Our results suggest that seed priming may be a long-term method for improving crop productivity and quality in challenging environments by enhancing the growth, physiological responses, and fruit quality attributes of Micro-Tom tomato plants under salt stress conditions.

Formulasi Pupuk Organik Pelet Cangkang Telur Ayam dan NPK sebagai Media Pertumbuhan Tanaman Tomat (Solanum lycopersicum)

This study aimed to determine the effect of chicken eggshell organic fertilizer pellets (POPe) and NPK on the growth and yield of tomato plants. The research was conducted at the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Wijaya Kusuma University Surabaya from April to August 2022. The experiment used a Randomized Block Design (RBD) factorial with two factors, namely: Factor (1) POPe chicken eggshell (P) and Factor (2) NPK dose (K). Each treatment was repeated three times with P0 (without POPe treatment), POPe chicken eggshell treatments consisted of P1 (7.5 gr POPe), P2 (15 gr POPe), P3 (22.5 gr POPe) and K0 (without NPK dose), NPK fertilizer doses of K1 (9 gr NPK). The results showed that the use of POPe and NPK on tomato plants had no effect on their growth and yield.

Effects of Nitrogen Application in Recovery Period after Different High Temperature Stress on Plant Growth of Greenhouse Tomato at Flowering and Fruiting Stages

High temperatures have become a severe factor limiting growth and yield for tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) due to unfavorable, above-optimum temperatures. Temperature and nitrogen application were the main regulatory factors in tomato plant cultivation. This research was undertaken to evaluate the effects of nitrogen application and high temperature on tomato morphology, dry matter accumulation and distribution, root vitality and nitrogen content of the above ground. Tomato variety “Jinfen No. 1” was planted and exposed to 4 day/night temperature levels (25 °C/15 °C as control CKT; 30 °C/20 °C, lightly high-temperature LHT; 35 °C/25 °C, moderate high-temperature MHT; 40 °C/30 °C, severe high temperature SHT) for 7 days after five nitrogen supply levels (N1–N5: 0, 1.3, 1.95, 2.6 and 3.75 g/plant, respectively; 2.6 g/plant is the recommended nitrogen-application rate, as control CKTN4). Within conditions, there was an extremely significant difference (p < 0.01) in all tomato plant parameters and an extremely significant interaction (p < 0.01) between high temperatures and nitrogen supply levels, except for plant height sampling on the 1st day in the recovery period. Dry matter accumulation decreased, and the accumulation rate slowed down. Dry matter accumulation under low nitrogen treatment was higher than in high nitrogen treatment. The proportion of dry matter in leaves decreased, the proportion of dry matter in stems increased and the difference in dry matter accumulation and proportion of dry matter between different nitrogen treatments decreased. Under LHT, the root activity of the tomato was increased under all nitrogen levels, while under MHT and SHT, high nitrogen and low nitrogen supply significantly inhibited root activity. Lightly high-temperature stress can increase root activity, and LHTN4 can increase by 5.15% compared with CKTN4. Appropriate nitrogen application can alleviate the damage caused by high-temperature stress on tomato plants and enhance the resistance of tomato plants, while excessive nitrogen application will aggravate the damage degree of tomato plants. In this study, the optimal nitrogen application rates under CKT-SHT treatment were 2.6, 2.6, 1.95 and 1.3 g/plant, respectively.

Novel halotolerant rhizobacterial strains mitigated the salt stress in-vitro and in-vivo and improved the growth of tomato plants

Increasing land salinization has become one of the most damaging threats to the global modern agriculture and has challenged food production and food security. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have emerged as efficient biological tools to improve plant growth in stressed environments. The present study was conducted to isolate, identify and characterize halotolerant PGPR from an unexplored saline area of Pakistan. The effect of the isolated strains was evaluated in-vitro and on the tomato varieties grown under 150 mM salt stress in the field. A total of 12 strains were isolated and further screened in-vitro to check their halotolerance. The isolates were screened using nutrient agar medium supplemented with different levels (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%) of NaCl. After screening, two highly salt tolerant strains were selected and identified using 16S rRNA technique. Isolates B9 and B10 were successfully identified as Pseudarthrobacter oxydans (NR_026236.1) and Staphylococcus pasteuri (NR_024669.1). The isolates were tested qualitatively for their biochemical and plant growth promoting traits. These isolates promoted tomato growth under salinity stress when applied alone or in consortium. The isolates demonstrated catalase and protease activity, phosphorous solubilization (PSI: 2.45, 2.63) and produced indole acetic acid. The current findings established that the isolated strains were highly resistant and tolerant up to 25% NaCl stress as compared to the other reported strains. These halophiles possessed promising plant growth promoting traits hence, are assumed to have great potential to serve as bioinoculants for the alleviation of adverse effects of salinity on crops.

Seed priming with rutin enhances tomato resistance against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci

Flavonoids are ubiquitously distributed in plants, showing pleiotropic effects in defense against abiotic and biotic stresses. Although it has been shown that seed priming with flavonoids can enhance plant resistance to abiotic stress, little is known about its potential to enhance plant tolerance to biotic stresses, especially for herbivorous insects. Here, we investigated whether treatment of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds with rutin improves plant resistance against the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Specifically, we measured the effect of rutin seed treatment on tomato seedling vigour, plant growth, feeding behavior and performance of B. tabaci on plants grown from control and rutin-treated seeds, and plant defense responses to B. tabaci attack. We found that seed treatment with different concentrations of rutin (viz 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 mM) had minimal impact on shoot growth. Furthermore, seed treatment of rutin reduced the developmental rate of nymphs, the fecundity and feeding efficiency of adult females on plants grown from these seeds. The enhanced resistance of tomato against B. tabaci is closely associated with increased flavonoids accumulation, callose deposition and the expression of jasmonic acid (JA)-dependent defense genes. Additionally, callose deposition and expression of JA-dependent genes in tomato plants grown from rutin-treated seeds significantly increased upon B. tabaci infestation. These results suggest that seed treatment with rutin primes tomato resistance against B. tabaci, and are not accompanied by reductions in shoot growth. Defense priming by seed treatments may therefore be suitable for commercial exploitation.

A Controlled-Release Nanofertilizer Improves Tomato Growth and Minimizes Nitrogen Consumption.

Minimizing the consumption of agrochemicals, particularly nitrogen, is the ultimate goal for achieving sustainable agricultural production with low cost and high economic and environmental returns. The use of biopolymers instead of petroleum-based synthetic polymers for CRFs can significantly improve the sustainability of crop production since biopolymers are biodegradable and not harmful to soil quality. Lignin is one of the most abundant biopolymers that naturally exist.In this study, controlled-release fertilizers were developed using a biobased nanocomposite of lignin and bentonite clay mineral as a coating material for urea to increase nitrogen use efficiency. Five types of controlled-release urea (CRU) were prepared using two ratios of modified bentonite as well as techniques. The efficiency of the five controlled-release nano-urea (CRU) fertilizers in improving the growth of tomato plants was studied under field conditions. The CRU was applied to the tomato plants at three N levels representing 100, 50, and 25% of the recommended dose of conventional urea. The results showed that all CRU treatments at the three N levels significantly enhanced plant growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight, and dry weight, compared to the control. Additionally, most CRU fertilizers increased total yield and fruit characteristics (weight, length, and diameter) compared to the control. Additionally, marketable yield was improved by CRU fertilizers. Fruit firmness and acidity of CRU treatments at 25 and 50% N levels were much higher than both the 100% CRU treatment and the control. The vitamin C values of all CRU treatments were lower than the control. Nitrogen uptake efficiencies (NUpE) of CRU treatments were 47-88%, which is significantly higher than that of the control (33%). In conclusion, all CRU treatments at an N level of 25% of the recommended dose showed better plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomatoes than the conventional fertilizer.