Tomato Production Research Articles

Exploring Lycopene: A Comprehensive Review on its Food Sources, Health Benefits and Functional Food Applications

Abstract: The importance of dietary composition to human health has raised consumer interest in consuming fruits, vegetables, and foods containing bioactive chemicals and nutraceuticals. Lycopene belongs to the carotenoids abundantly found in tomato and tomato-based food products. It also can be present in other types of fruits like watermelon and pink guava. This review aims to outline the lycopene sources, health benefits, their applications as functional food ingredients and the challenges to commercialization. It has been reported that dietary lycopene has multifunctional health activities, including anticancer on various types of cancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and bone protective effects identified in clinical and preclinical studies. This is because, lycopene primarily affects oxidative stress, inflammation, and pathways implicated in carcinogenesis and cell proliferation. The effects of preparation and processing factors that may impair the bioavailability of lycopene consumed through diet are addressed in this review. Overall, lycopene is a valuable natural colourant that can enhance the nutritional value of foods leading to the development of new functional foods in the food industry.

Non-Feeding Transmission Modes of the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus by the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci Do Not Contribute to Reoccurring Leaf Curl Outbreaks in Tomato.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) causes significant yield loss in tomato production in the southeastern United States and elsewhere. TYLCV is transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci cryptic species in a persistent, circulative, and non-propagative manner. Unexpectedly, transovarial and sexual transmission of TYLCV has been reported for one strain from Israel. In this study, the potential contribution of the B. tabaci B cryptic species transovarial and sexual transmission of TYLCV (Israel strain, Georgia variant, Georgia, USA) to reoccurring outbreaks was investigated by conducting whitefly-TYLCV transmission assays and virus DNA detection using end point PCR, DNA quantitation via real-time PCR, and virion detection by immunocapture PCR. TYLCV DNA was detectable in four, two, and two percent of first-generation fourth-instar nymphs, first-generation adults, and second-generation adults, respectively, following transovarial acquisition. Post-mating between viruliferous counterparts, the virus's DNA was detected in four percent of males and undetectable in females. The accumulation of TYLCV DNA in whiteflies from the transovarial and/or sexual experiments was substantially lower (100 to 1000-fold) compared with whitefly adults allowed a 48-hr acquisition-access period on plants infected with TYLCV. Despite the detection of TYLCV DNA in whiteflies from the transovarial and/or mating experiments, the virions were undetectable by immunocapture PCR-a technique specifically designed to detect virions. Furthermore, tomato test plants exposed to whitefly adults that presumably acquired TYLCV transovarially or through mating remained free of detectable TYLCV DNA. Collectively, the extremely low levels of TYLCV DNA and complete absence of virions detected in whiteflies and the inability of the B. tabaci cryptic species B to transmit TYLCV to test tomato plants following transovarial and mating acquisition indicate that neither transovarial nor sexual transmission of TYLCV are probable or epidemiologically relevant for TYLCV persistence in this pathosystem.

Bioprospecting Nigeria tomato cultivars against Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress

Among the vegetables, tomato is one of the economically important vegetables even at the global level. The nutritional and health benefits of tomato are so numerous to the extent that it has gained so much value in Africa due to its low-cost cultivation and contribution to livelihoods. However, Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici (FOL) and drought have been identified as potential threats to tomato production in Nigeria. To manage these challenges, one of the approaches is to identify Nigerian tomato cultivars that can exhibit resistance to FOL and drought. This study therefore investigates four Nigeria tomato cultivars; NGB00714, NGB00715, NGB00725 and NGB00740 to ascertain their resistance attributes to FOL and drought. Prior to their evaluation, Petri - dish seed germination bioassay was used in-vitro to assess the germination potentials of the tomato seeds. NGB00725 had the best germination, followed by NGB00714 and NGB00740 while the least was NGB00715. Using the Petri - dish in-vitro blotter technique, each tomato seed cultivar was separately exposed to FOL spores and FOL metabolites under drought stress induced by polyethyleneglycol (PEG-6000). Cultivar NGB00725, followed by NGB00740 exhibited resistance to FOL under PEG-induced drought stress based on their seed germination potentials. Bioprospecting resistant Nigeria tomato cultivars in this study is an indication of sustainable production of tomatoes in Nigeria against FOL under drought stress.

Influence of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers Applications for Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum </i>L.) Production Under Irrigation in the Fogera District, Northwest Ethiopia

Small-scale tomato production under irrigation is a common practice in the Fogera area of the Amhara Region in Northwest Ethiopia. However, there were no location-specific economic optimum N and P fertilizer recommendations for tomato production in the area. Therefore, a field study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 to investigate the response of tomato to N and P fertilizer applications and determine the economic return of N and P fertilizers applications. Four levels of N (0, 46, 92, and 138 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>) and three levels of P (0, 46, and 92 kg P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> ha<sup>-1</sup>) were factorially combined and laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that tomato yield and yield-related attributes were significantly (p<0.01) affected by the main effects of N. However, the main effect of P and its interaction with N did not considerably influence the yield and yield-related parameters. The highest marketable (39.3 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and total fruit yields (46.2 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) of tomato were recorded from the application of 138 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>. The highest net economic return of Ethiopian birr 185,538.50 with a marginal rate return of 1326.1% was recorded from the application of 138 kg N ha<sup>-1</sup>. Therefore, 138 kg ha<sup>-1</sup> N can be recommended to increase the yield and economic return of tomato production in Fogera area. However, as the yield response to N followed a linear response curve, further study with higher rates of N than those considered in the present study is recommended.

Enabling Intelligence on the Edge: Leveraging Edge Impulse to Deploy Multiple Deep Learning Models on Edge Devices for Tomato Leaf Disease Detection

Tomato diseases, including Leaf blight, Leaf curl, Septoria leaf spot, and Verticillium wilt, are responsible for up to 50% of annual yield loss, significantly impacting global tomato production, valued at approximately USD 87 billion. In Ghana, there is a yield gap of about 50% in tomato production, which requires drastic measures to increase the yield of tomatoes. Conventional diagnostic methods are labor-intensive and impractical for real-time application, highlighting the need for innovative solutions. This study addresses these issues in Ghana by utilizing Edge Impulse to deploy multiple deep-learning models on a single mobile device, facilitating the rapid and precise detection of tomato leaf diseases in the field. This work compiled and rigorously prepared a comprehensive Ghanaian dataset of tomato leaf images, applying advanced preprocessing and augmentation techniques to enhance robustness. Using TensorFlow, we designed and optimized efficient convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures, including MobileNet, Inception, ShuffleNet, Squeezenet, EfficientNet, and a custom Deep Neural Network (DNN). The models were converted to TensorFlow Lite format and quantized to int8, substantially reducing the model size and improving inference speed. Deployment files were generated, and the Edge Impulse platform was configured to enable multiple model deployments on a mobile device. Performance evaluations across edge hardware provided metrics such as inference speed, accuracy, and resource utilization, demonstrating reliable real-time detection. EfficientNet achieved a high training accuracy of 97.12% with a compact 4.60 MB model size, proving its efficacy for mobile device deployment. In contrast, the custom DNN model is optimized for microcontroller unit (MCU) deployment. This edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology integration into agricultural practices offers scalable, cost-effective, and accessible solutions for disease classification, enhancing crop management, and supporting sustainable farming practices.

Physical and chemical characterization of wild tomato Solanum habrochaites accessions for resistance to the sweetpotato whitefly

Sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a significant worldwide insect pest affecting tomato production, causing direct damage during feeding and transmitting multiple plant viruses to this crop. Continuing research to improve integrated pest management (IPM) of sweetpotato whitefly is required to maintain profitable tomato production for growers. This study evaluated the resistance of eight wild tomato accessions of Solanum habrochaites and four commercial tomato cultivars of Solanum lycopersicum to sweetpotato whitefly infestation. Field experiments were conducted at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center at Auburn University, where whitefly populations were reported in vegetable crops. Accessions and cultivars were evaluated for resistance to whiteflies through the ability to reduce the insect population, analysis of the presence of glandular trichomes, and the profile and quantification of terpenes of each tomato species. Results indicated significant variations in whitefly population dynamics among the wild tomato accessions and commercial tomato cultivars. Wild tomato accessions of S. habrochaites had higher numbers of glandular trichomes and distinct terpene profiles, particularly sesquiterpenes, known for their pest-repellent properties. Multivariate analysis identified three clusters based on terpene profiles and trichome types correlating with whitefly resistance. Accessions of S. habrochaites PI127826, PI134418, and G29258 had prominent results. They significantly reduced whitefly nymph development compared to cultivars of S. lycopersicum. The GC-MS analysis of leaflet extracts revealed that accessions of S. habrochaites had higher levels of sesquiterpenes, including α-zingiberene, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene, with PI127826 uniquely producing Ar-curcumene and 9-hydroxy-zingiberene. Results highlight the potential of wild tomato accessions of S. habrochaites in breeding programs to enhance whitefly resistance in tomatoes, which can support a sustainable IPM program.

Modern Drip Irrigation Technology on Tomato and Head Cabbage Production and Its Economic Feasibility at Misrak Silti District, Siltie Zone, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia various techniques were applied to improve on-farm irrigation water management under surface irrigation, especially on furrow irrigation system for last many years, however, it was very difficult to achieve threshold limit of water use efficiency, wisely use of scarce water resources in irrigated field, crop water productivity, precisely controlled application of irrigation water to plant roots, uniform water delivery to all plants, crop yield and its quality, regulate flow, deliver optimum crop water requirement, field water losses, groundwater withdrawal and save labor. It is great practical significance and series of measures using drip irrigation system to solve mentioned problems in irrigated field, because the irrigated agriculture is largest water-consuming sector in this area. This study was aimed to demonstrate drip irrigation technology, prove its economic feasibility and create skills of farmers and extension experts on implementation of the drip system on tomato (Galila 555) and head cabbage (Copen Hagen) productions within groundwater source area on Balo koriso main station in Misrak Silti woreda, Siltie zone, southern Ethiopia. The activity was done for four consecutive years (2019 to 2022 G. C) on fixed plot of 2500 square meter area in collaboration with Agricultural Research Institute and Techno serve project. During demonstration all the costs were considered to economic feasibility including initial investment cost. The study found that the use of drip irrigation saved 3690 m<sup>3</sup>/ha of water compared with use of furrow irrigation. This saved water may irrigate additional 2ha area of land by drip irrigation. This study also revealed that, a net income of 313066.04 ETB/ha in single irrigation season was obtained using modern drip irrigation technology. The farmers and local experts recognized noticeable saving water, fuel cost, irrigating time and labour, good crop performance from demonstrated drip irrigation system and shown interest to use the technology abundantly. Therefore, scaling up locally manageable drip irrigation system around the study area through comprehensive training of farmers and supportive staffs and allowing sufficient local market for drip kits and incentives or loan will be economically feasible and affordable to increase income and saves irrigation water.

Agronomic, Biochemical, and Physiological Responses to Magnesium (Mg) Application in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under Greenhouse Conditions

Magnesium fertilization positively impacts various physiological processes in plants, leading to increased yield and fruit quality. In the present study, we determined the effects of the foliar application of magnesium on the yield, fruit quality, fruit biochemical content, and enzyme activity of tomato plants. The study was performed in a plastic greenhouse. The study evaluated magnesium sulfate application through drip irrigation at a single dose of 0.005 kg m2 and foliar application at rates of 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75%. As a consequence, the highest average fruit weight was obtained with the foliar application of 0.50% Mg. In terms of the fruit color’s a* value, the best results were again obtained with the application of 0.50% Mg. Mg applications proportionally increased the leaf chlorophyll content. Similarly, the highest leaf Mg content, the leaf relative water content, the fruits’ malic acid content, and the best fruit juice pH value were determined with the application of 0.75%. On the other hand, the application of 0.25% Mg produced the best results on the leaves’ K, Ca, and Na content, as well as in the fruits’ ascorbic acid content. Significant differences were not found in terms of the effects of the treatments on antioxidant activity, total protein amount, and enzyme activity. The application of 0.50% Mg contributed to the fruit color; 0.75% Mg application contributed to the chlorophyll, pH, and malic acid content; and the application of 0.25% Mg contributed to an increase in ascorbic acid. In conclusion, for greenhouse tomato production, a foliar application of 0.50% Mg is recommended to achieve larger, red-colored fruits. A 0.75% Mg application is suggested for increasing the chlorophyll content, lowering fruit juice pH, and enhancing malic acid content in fruits. A 0.25% Mg application is recommended to increase ascorbic acid content in fruits.

Recent Insights into the Physio-Biochemical and Molecular Mechanisms of Low Temperature Stress in Tomato.

Climate change has emerged as a crucial global issue that significantly threatens the survival of plants. In particular, low temperature (LT) is one of the critical environmental factors that influence plant morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes during both the vegetative and reproductive growth stages. LT, including abrupt drops in temperature, as well as winter conditions, can cause detrimental effects on the growth and development of tomato plants, ranging from sowing, transplanting, truss appearance, flowering, fertilization, flowering, fruit ripening, and yields. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the comprehensive mechanisms underlying the adaptation and acclimation of tomato plants to LT, from the morphological changes to the molecular levels. In this review, we discuss the previous and current knowledge of morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes, which contain vegetative and reproductive parameters involving the leaf length (LL), plant height (PH) stem diameter (SD), fruit set (FS), fruit ripening (FS), and fruit yield (FY), as well as photosynthetic parameters, cell membrane stability, osmolytes, and ROS homeostasis via antioxidants scavenging systems during LT stress in tomato plants. Moreover, we highlight recent advances in the understanding of molecular mechanisms, including LT perception, signaling transduction, gene regulation, and fruit ripening and epigenetic regulation. The comprehensive understanding of LT response provides a solid basis to develop the LT-resistant varieties for sustainable tomato production under the ever-changing temperature fluctuations.

Production and management practices and technologies used for growing potatoes and tomatoes

Purpose. The aim of this study was to assess production and management practices and technologies used by farmers for tomato and potato production, as well as their productivity. Methodology / approach. This research was conducted in Ziway-Dugda and Tiyo districts of Arsi Zone in Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia during 2022 cropping season. Data were collected from 400 households in 10 kebeles (local administrative unit) of both districts using Kobo toolbox from respondents through face-to-face interview and descriptive analysis using SPSS version 22. Results. The results of the study showed that farmers in the study areas used different pre-harvest practices. These include cultivation tools and methods, planting locations, tomato staking, potato hilling and irrigation practices to successfully grow vegetables and increase land productivity by rotating different crops on their land. Various diseases, weeds and insects have been observed on their farms, which were managed by cultural, agronomic, mechanical and chemical management practices on tomato and potato farms during the last cropping years in the study districts. Thus, majority farmers in the study areas have used insecticides and fungicides on tomato and potato farms; but most of the weeds were removed by hand weeding. Most tomato and potato farmers have determined the type of chemical and its use from their own previous experience, in consultation with salespeople and extension agents in their regions. However, the study results showed that there are unused production and management practices for tomato and potato cultivation by some farmers. There are many production and management practices and technologies used by farmers to improve vegetable productivity in the study areas, although some farmers did not adopt improved production and management technologies, resulting in reduced production, which requires future interventions to increase their capacity through training and technology adoption. Originality / scientific novelty. This study stands out in the field of production and management practices and technologies used by smallholder tomato and potato producers due to its innovative approach and unique contribution to existing knowledge and skills. While previous studies have examined the relationship between production and management practices and technologies in an agricultural context, particularly focusing on state farms, our study focuses on small-scale tomato and potato producers. Through our thorough case study research and interview structure, we not only deepened our understanding of production and management practices in the agricultural sector, but also provided practical recommendations for improving the efficiency and sustainability of small-scale tomato and potato producers on different farms/fields. Practical value / implications. The findings of this study can be used to develop recommendations for policy makers and researchers on how to improve labour productivity in the future Thus, the policy focuses on developing strategies for producers to adopt modern production and management practices and technologies, raising farmers’ awareness of available technologies, improving management practices and increasing crop productivity in the study area.

Cost Economics Study of Tomato Production under Poly House and Open Field Cultivation

The studies was performed by conducting the field experiments under polyhouse and open field at the Instructional Farm of Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Dr.Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri during rabi seasons of 2013-14.These experiments state that the best practice found in different environmental conditions (Polyhouse and open field cultivation.) can be adopted for maximum economic returns from tomato cultivation. Polyhouse tomato cultivation was found best alternative tomato cultivation during rabi season to obtain maximum yield, net return and benefit:cost ratio. The combitation of 0.95ETc x 125 % RD (I1x F1) recorded maximum yield (437.98 tha-1) under polyhouse cultivation and (149.98 tha-1)under open field cultivation. The maximum net income was found due to T1 (0.95ETc x 125 %RD) treatment i.e. ₹ 2,95,210/- under polyhouse cultivation and in case of open field cultivation the maximum net income was found ₹ 5,527/- and benefit:cost ratio was found 3.29 under polyhouse and 1.13 under open field cultivation.

Integrated Pest Management Strategies for Controlling Tuta absoluta and Enhancing Tomato Seed Yield and Quality

A field experiment was conducted in the mid-hills region of Himachal Pradesh, India, during April, 2019–January, 2020, to evaluate various insect management strategies, including eco-friendly approaches, against Tuta absoluta and other pests on tomato crop. Six treatment modules were compared to untreated control plants. Among all treatments, T4, which included lambda cyhalothrin, indoxacarb, rynaxypyr and novaluron, was most effective, recording the lowest number of Tuta absoluta larvae (0.43) and leaf mines (0.75) plant-1. This treatment also showed the lowest populations of aphids (10.49), serpentine leaf miners (0.83), and fruit borers (1.28) plant-1. T4 significantly enhanced growth and yield parameters, with the highest number of flower clusters (7.73), fruits (29.36), healthy fruits (23.23) plant-1, seeds per fruit (87.73), 1000-seed weight (2.76 g), and seed yield (5.32 g plant-1, 63.84 g plot-1, 149.35 kg ha-1). Seed quality was also superior in T4, showing maximum germination (87.25%), seedling length (16.14 cm), dry weight (1.88 mg), seedling vigor indices I and II (1,412.57 and 164.71), and germination after accelerated ageing (75.25%). The enhanced performance can be attributed to the collaborated action of eco-friendly chemicals, which effectively reduced pest populations, allowing the plants to utilize their energy for growth and seed development. This study underscores the importance of integrated use of pest management strategies in optimizing tomato production, seed yield and quality, highlighting the possible benefits for agricultural economies. This study identifies an effective eco-friendly approach using specific insecticides to control Tuta absoluta and improve tomato yield and seed quality while minimizing environmental impact.

Two Genotypes of Tomato Cultivated in Gobi Agriculture System Show a Varying Response to Deficit Drip Irrigation under Semi-Arid Conditions

Water-saving irrigation is of extraordinary importance for tomato production in semi-arid areas of northwest China. For this purpose, we conducted a two-season trial in a solar greenhouse of two tomato genotypes named ‘181’ and ‘Mao Fen 802’ and cultivated with substrate, under four irrigation regimes, i.e., well-watered (WW), low (LWD, 80% WW), moderate (MWD, 60% WW) and high (HWD, 40% WW) water deficit. The substrate water content of WW treatment was 75%θf to 90%θf (where θf is the field capacity). The study results showed that the single fruit weight and yield of tomato were significantly declined with an increasing water deficit degree. Compared to WW treatment, the fruit weight and yield were decreased about 34.45% and 20.35% for ‘181’ and ‘Mao Fen 802’ under HWD treatment, respectively. Conversely, water deficit treatment led to an obvious promotion of WUE and showed an upward trend as the water deficit level increased. In addition, compared to WW treatment, the water deficit significantly decreased the total flavonoids of the ‘181’ tomato by 24.4–93.1%, whereas there was no significant impact on that of ‘Mao Fen 802’. Nonetheless, different individual polyphenols were increased by suitable deficit irrigation for two tomato cultivars. Gallic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and naringin of ‘181’tomato were increased by 128.4–195.2%, 8.6–43.7%, and 31–73-fold, respectively, under water deficit compared to WW treatment. Further, under water deficit treatment, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid of ‘Mao Fen 802’ were increased by 36.2–49.2%, 59.1–189.7%, and 36.3–106.4% compared to WW treatment. As the main carotenoid component, the lycopene content of tomato fruit exhibited a significant rise of 7.84–20.02% and 20.55–32.13% for ‘181’ and ‘Mao Fen 802’ under three degrees of water deficit compared to WW treatment. Linear regression showed a significantly positive relationship between irrigation amounts and yield, and total polyphenols, whereas there was a significantly negative relationship between irrigation amounts and WUE, and total carotenoids. Based on correlation and PCA, WW and LWD, and MWD and HWD, were gathered together for ‘181’, while LWD, MWD, and HWD, were gathered, and only WW scattered for ‘Mao Fen 802’, along the PC1 direction. It was proposed that ‘Mao Fen 802’ was more sensitive to water deficit than the ‘181’ tomato. In conclusion, water deficit is conductive to water-saving cultivation of the greenhouse tomato and the tomato genotypes, and water deficit level is a key factor necessary for consideration.

Gene Editing for Disease Resistance in Crops: Success Stories and Challenges

Gene editing has emerged as a transformative tool in modern agriculture, offering new avenues for enhancing disease resistance in crops. By precisely modifying the DNA of plants, scientists can develop varieties that are better equipped to withstand the onslaught of pathogens, which pose significant threats to global food security. This article delves into the success stories and challenges associated with gene editing for disease resistance in crops, with a focus on technologies like CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs, and ZFNs. One of the major success stories in this field is the development of disease-resistant varieties of wheat, rice, and tomatoes. For instance, researchers have used CRISPR-Cas9 to create wheat varieties resistant to powdery mildew, a devastating fungal disease. Similarly, gene editing has enabled the development of rice strains with enhanced resistance to bacterial blight, a disease that can lead to significant yield losses. In tomatoes, gene editing has been employed to confer resistance against the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, which severely affects tomato production worldwide. These achievements underscore the potential of gene editing to create crops that are not only more resilient but also capable of maintaining high yields under disease pressure. However, the application of gene editing in crop disease resistance is not without challenges. One of the primary concerns is the regulatory landscape, which varies significantly across different countries. While some nations have embraced gene-edited crops, others have imposed strict regulations, treating them similarly to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This inconsistency can hinder the global deployment of disease-resistant crops and create trade barriers. Additionally, there are concerns related to off-target effects, where unintended changes in the genome may occur, potentially leading to unintended consequences in the plant's growth or ecological interactions.

Novel Fungicide from Waste Oil Palm Fruit Bunch for Sustainable Management of Tomato Wilt Disease Caused by Fusarium oxysporum - experimental and in silico studies

Tomato wilt, a widespread and persistent disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, can be effectively controlled through biological approaches, promoting ecosystem sustainability and enhancing agricultural productivity and quality. This study explored the use of empty oil palm fruit bunch (EOPFB) waste as a natural fungicide to control tomato Fusarium wilt disease through in vitro, pilot scale, and molecular docking experiments. EOPFB aqueous extract showed the highest mycelium growth inhibition of 68.3 %, with the commercial fungicide Mancozeb exhibiting a moderate 42.30 % inhibition, and sterile distilled water having a negligible effect of 0.24 %. The inhibition rate varied with concentration, peaking at 72.63 % at 0.15 g/mL and dropping to 54.80 % at 0.01 g/mL. In terms of wilt disease incidence and severity, EOPFB performed best, recording the lowest incidence of 47.20 % and severity of 15.58 %. Mancozeb followed closely, with an incidence of 46.30 % and severity of 26.23 %. Sterile distilled water, on the other hand, showed the highest incidence of 76.28 % and severity of 56.17 %. Molecular docking simulations corroborated the experimental results, validating the potency of EOPFB as an inhibitor of trypsin from F. oxysporum, and identifying 2-amino-5,6-dimethyl-3 H-pyrimidine-4-one as the primary active compound responsible for the fungicidal activity. This phytochemical, abundant in the crude ethanolic extract of EOPFB, was found to have a higher binding affinity (6.1 kcal/mol) than Mancozeb (4.8 kcal/mol), at the trypsin target. These findings demonstrate the potential of EOPFB, an agricultural waste product, as a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for managing tomato Fusarium wilt disease, contributing to increased tomato production. It also highlights the potential of 2-amino-5,6-dimethyl-3 H-pyrimidine-4-one as a lead compound for the development of novel, natural fungicides, and underscores the value of EOPFB as a rich source of bioactive compounds with agricultural and biotechnological applications.

Evaluation of rhizospheric Pseudomonas spp. for the management of Fusarium wilt of tomato in Cholistan, Pakistan

Agriculture plays a crucial role in national development, food security, and poverty reduction. Despite its importance, the agricultural sector's contribution to GDP is gradually decreasing. Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, has significantly hindered tomato production globally. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), a widely grown vegetable, is threatened by various pathogens, with Fusarium wilt being particularly damaging due to yield and quality loss. Synthetic chemicals are commonly used to control Fusarium wilt in tomatoes, but these chemicals are harmful to the environment and human health due to their toxicity and persistence. This has prompted researchers to develop eco-friendly alternatives. In preliminary tests, 10 isolates of Pseudomonas spp. were evaluated in vitro against Fusarium oxysporum. Four isolates that effectively inhibited the growth of F. oxysporum were chosen for further experimentation. A greenhouse study revealed that two bacterial isolates, IUB310 and Mad1230, significantly reduced disease severity by 69.2% and 65%, respectively. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria from the Pseudomonas family not only combat pathogens but also induce systemic resistance in plants by strengthening cell walls and triggering defensive proteins and compounds. The results clearly highlight the significance of Pseudomonas strains in suppressing F. oxysporum and promoting plant growth, indicating their potential use in managing Fusarium wilt in tomato cultivation.

Bayesian optimized multimodal deep hybrid learning approach for tomato leaf disease classification

Manual identification of tomato leaf diseases is a time-consuming and laborious process that may lead to inaccurate results without professional assistance. Therefore, an automated, early, and precise leaf disease recognition system is essential for farmers to ensure the quality and quantity of tomato production by providing timely interventions to mitigate disease spread. In this study, we have proposed seven robust Bayesian optimized deep hybrid learning models leveraging the synergy between deep learning and machine learning for the automated classification of ten types of tomato leaves (nine diseased and one healthy). We customized the popular Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithm for automatic feature extraction due to its ability to capture spatial hierarchies of features directly from raw data and classical machine learning techniques [Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, GaussianNB (GNB), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN)], and stacking for classifications. Additionally, the study incorported a Boruta feature filtering layer to capture the statistically significant features. The standard, research-oriented PlantVillage dataset was used for the performance testing, which facilitates benchmarking against prior research and enables meaningful comparisons of classification performance across different approaches. We utilized a variety of statistical classification metrics to demonstrate the robustness of our models. Using the CNN-Stacking model, this study achieved the highest classification performance among the seven hybrid models. On an unseen dataset, this model achieved average precision, recall, f1-score, mcc, and accuracy values of 98.527%, 98.533%, 98.527%, 98.525%, and 98.268%, respectively. Our study requires only 0.174 s of testing time to correctly identify noisy, blurry, and transformed images. This indicates our approach's time efficiency and generalizability in images captured under challenging lighting conditions and with complex backgrounds. Based on the comparative analysis, our approach is superior and computationally inexpensive compared to the existing studies. This work will aid in developing a smartphone app to offer farmers a real-time disease diagnosis tool and management strategies.

Forecasting of Tomato Price in Karnataka using BATS Model

Tomato plays a vital role in Karnataka’s agro-processing and food industries, contributing significantly to the state’s economy. Even though tomato production in Karnataka is substantial, the state’s market is characterized by price volatility. Tomato prices can undergo drastic fluctuations within short time periods, posing severe challenges to the farmers and consumers. To address these problems, time series models, such as Exponential Smoothing, ARIMA, SARIMA, BATS and TBATS have been implemented to forecast the tomato prices in Kolar market of Karnataka state using monthly wholesale prices data from the year 2010 to 2022. Among the applied models, BATS showed superior performance in terms of model validation criteria such as Root Mean Square Error and Mean Absolute Percentage Error.

Assessment of three Artificial Intelligence models performance in the detection of bacterial spot on tomato leaves in mozambique

The agricultural sector is pivotal to Mozambique's economy through domestic consumption and exports of crops such as (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). However, tomato production faces several challenges, one of the most important being the bacterial diseases infestation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool across industries, including agriculture, leveraging machine learning and extensive datasets to enhance productivity and sustainability. In a study conducted at Eduardo Mondlane University experimental trial station in Maputo, images of tomato leaves were collected and categorized to develop AI models for detection of bacterial spot disease. Data preprocessing included resizing and augmentation techniques to optimize model performance. Training involved Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) using TensorFlow and Adam optimizers. Among models tested (Resnet 50, Inception V3, VGG 16). The VGG 16 with data augmentation achieved the highest validation accuracy of 93.33% and minimal loss (0.1595%), demonstrating superior precision and generalization. This underscores the critical role of data augmentation in training robust AI models for effective Bacterial Spot detection in tomatoes, offering significant potential for improving agricultural outcomes in Mozambique.

Progressing environmental sustainability in hydroponic greenhouse systems: Embracing circular bioeconomy through compost and biochar pathways

The global population growth and awareness about the important role of vitamins in human health drive demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. In line with this need, greenhouse cultivation addresses year-round availability, but chemicals pose challenges. Hydroponic systems control pests, boost yields, and decrease chemicals while faced with significant waste generation. Waste generated by hydroponic systems holds potential for repurposing into value-added products, which aligns with the principles of the circular bioeconomy. However, before embracing widespread adoption, it is crucial to assess its environmental compatibility. This study employs a life cycle assessment approach to compare hydroponic tomato production in greenhouses under conventional and circular bioeconomy systems. The first scenario (Sc-1) encompasses hydroponic tomato production in a greenhouse system under a conventional system. The second scenario (Sc-2) involves the production of tomatoes, along with the conversion of residue of tomato production into compost. The third scenario (Sc-3) closely resembled Sc-2, while valorizing residue of tomato production into biochar. The outcomes indicate that per kg of tomato production under Sc-1 leads to a damage of 4.32 × 10−6 DALY to human health, 4.33E−06 species.yr to ecosystems, and 1.82 × 10−1 USD2013 to resources. The results of weighting of environmental damages also shows a total environmental damage of 75.36 mPt per kg of tomato production under Sc-1 which is mainly based on the production and consumption of natural gas. The findings demonstrate that Sc-2 and Sc-3 exhibit a diminished potential on damage to human health, ecosystems, and resource compared to Sc-1, respectively. Accordingly, in comparison to Sc-1, Sc-2 leads to an approximately 11% reduction in total weighted environmental impacts, while Sc-3 results in an approximately 4% reduction in total weighted environmental impacts. Based on these outcomes, integrating compost and biochar production into hydroponic tomato systems holds significant potential for environmental benefits. Accordingly, further research and development efforts should focus on optimizing the efficiency and scalability of composting and biochar production technologies to maximize their impact on sustainability in hydroponic tomato production.