Tomato Research Articles

Optimizing germination in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds through non-thermal plasma treatment

Abstract This study explores the efficacy of non-thermal plasma (NTP) treatment in enhancing the germination of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds. The experimental setup utilized a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system with specific parameters, including voltage, frequency, and treatment duration. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was employed to characterize the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) generated during plasma treatment. Seeds subjected to plasma for durations ranging from 60 to 300 s were assessed for various germination parameters, including germination percentage, mean germination time, and seedling vigor. Our findings demonstrate significant improvements in germination efficiency, particularly evident at 120 and 180 s of exposure, where germination percentages increased by 113.0% and 83.3%, respectively, compared to control (untreated) seeds. Moreover, seeds subjected to NTP showed reduced mean germination times and enhanced synchronization in germination compared to the control group. Optical characterization revealed the presence of reactive species that likely contribute to the improved seed performance. These findings highlight the promise of non-thermal plasma as an eco-friendly method for improving seed germination in agriculture.

The Effect of NaCl-Salinity Applications on the Improvement of Quality Characteristics and Yield of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) Grown in Substrate Culture

Salt application in soilless cultivation systems can be considered as a strategic tool to improve tomato fruit quality. In this context, the effects of increasing the salt concentration in the nutrient solution added to the solid culture medium on yield and yield components, biophysical and organoleptic quality traits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. Kardelen F1) under greenhouse conditions were studied. The salt in the nutrient solution was applied to tomato plants as sodium chloride (NaCl) at four concentrations (0, 14.1, 44.4, and 70.4 mM). Each pot received 150 mL of nutrient solution daily during the vegetative period, while 300 mL was applied daily after flowering. This study was conducted with three replicates following a randomized block design. Plants were harvested 90 days after transplanting. Low salt application in the nutrient solution (14.1 mM NaCl) increased total fruit yield, while the high salt application did not effect fruit yield compared to the control. Salt application at increasing concentrations decreased fruit size and diameter but increased the dry matter in the fruit. The salt treatment mainly positively affected the commercial and organoleptic quality parameters of the tomato fruits. In conclusion, a low level of sodium chloride (14.1 mM NaCl) in soilless culture enhanced fruit production, while moderate (44.4 mM) and high (70.4 mM) concentrations improved various fruit quality traits.

Identification of cell-type specificity, trans- and cis-acting functions of plant lincRNAs from single-cell transcriptomes.

Long noncoding RNAs, including intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs), play a key role in various biological processes throughout the plant life cycle, and the advent of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has opened up a valuable avenue for scrutinizing the intricate roles of lincRNAs in cellular processes. Here, we identified a new batch of lincRNAs using scRNA-seq data from diverse tissues of plants (rice, Arabidopsis, tomato, and maize). Based on well-annotated single-cell transcriptome atlases, plant lincRNAs were found to possess the same level of cell-type specificity as mRNAs and to be involved in the differentiation of certain cell types based on pseudo-time analysis. Many lincRNAs were predicted to play a hub role in the cell-type-specific co-expression networks of lincRNAs and mRNAs, suggesting their trans-acting abilities. Besides, plant lincRNAs were revealed to have potential cis-acting properties based on their genomic distances and expression correlations with the neighboring mRNAs. Furthermore, an online platform, PscLncRNA (http://ibi.zju.edu.cn/psclncrna/), was constructed for searching and visualizing all identified plant lincRNAs with annotated potential functions. Our work provides new insights into plant lincRNAs at single-cell resolution and an important resource for understanding and further investigation of plant lincRNAs.

Assessment of the germination power and α-amylase activity in the soil rhizospheric compartment amended with olive mill waste waters.

Olive mill wastewater (OMWW) was used in ferti-irrigation due to its high water content, as well as its organic and mineral richness. However, this by-product also contains elevated levels of polyphenols, which may pose phytotoxic risks to soil microbiota and plants over time. To address this concern, we conducted a thorough examination of the phenolic composition of OMWW and the phenolic content of amended soils using HPLC analysis. Additionally, we assessed the residual phytotoxicity of OMWW across various soil rhizospheric layers (0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, and 60-90 cm). Standard germination tests were performed using soil extracts with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seeds. We also measured α-amylase activities in the germinated seeds for both species, comparing them to raw OMWW and control soil extracts. HPLC analysis revealed that tyrosol, ferulic acid, and hydroxytyrosol were the predominant phenolic compounds in crude OMWW, while no detectable compounds were found in the soil extracts. Germination tests indicated minimal toxicity in the topsoil amended with OMWW, with a noticeable reduction in residual phytotoxicity at greater depths. These results aligned with the α-amylase activity assessments, which demonstrated significantly higher enzyme activity in the deeper soil layers (30-60 cm and 60-90 cm), with no substantial differences compared to control extracts.

PP2C phosphatase Pic6 suppresses MAPK activation and disease resistance in tomato.

Type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) are essential for regulating plant immune responses to pathogens. Our study focuses on the tomato PP2C-immunity associated candidate 6 (Pic6), elucidating its role in negatively regulating pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) signaling pathways in tomato. Using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), we observed that treatment with microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs)- flg22 and flgII-28-significantly increased Pic6 mRNA levels in wild-type (RG-PtoR) tomato plants. Pic6 features a conserved N-terminal kinase-interacting motif (KIM) and a C-terminal PP2C domain. We produced variants of Pic6 with mutations in these regions, demonstrating their involvements in negatively regulating tomato immunity. Agrobacterium-mediated transient overexpression of Pic6 resulted in enhanced growth of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) strain DC3000ΔhopQ1-1 compared to a YFP control. Additionally, Pic6 overexpression inhibited mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in response to flg22 and flgII-28 treatments. Importantly, Pic6 exhibited phosphatase activity and interacted with tomato Mkk1/Mkk2 proteins and dephosphorylated them in a KIM-dependent manner. Furthermore, we generated RG-pic6 loss-of-function mutants by CRISPR/Cas9, revealing that the absence of Pic6 heightened MAPK activity and increased resistance to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria strain 85-10 (Xe 85-10) when compared with the wild-type (RG-PtoR) plants. Transcript analyses showed that after flg22/flgII-28 treatment, PTI-reporter genes NAC and osmotin were significantly upregulated in RG-pic6 mutants in comparison to the wild-type (RG-PtoR) plants. Overall, our findings indicate that Pic6 acts as a negative regulator of MAPK signaling and playing a pivotal role in modulating tomato immunity against bacterial pathogens.

Identification and mapping of QTLs for late blight resistance in the wild tomato (Solanum pimpinellifolium) accession PI 270442 via selective genotyping

Late blight (LB), caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most devastating diseases of the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) worldwide. Attempts to control the disease through fungicide applications are becoming less effective, as new and aggressive genotypes of the pathogen emerge. Further, some new P. infestans genotypes overcome the currently available resistance in tomato, necessitating the identification, characterization, and utilization of new sources of host resistance. In the present study, to detect QTLs underlying LB resistance in a recently-identified LB-resistant S. pimpinellifolium accession (PI 270442), an F2 population (n = 1,175) of a cross between PI 270442 and LB-susceptible tomato breeding line Fla. 8059 was screened for LB resistance and subjected to selective genotyping. A total of 19,839 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from reduced representation libraries (RRLs) constructed from the parents, of which 212 were used to build a genetic linkage map and locate QTLs. Ten LB-resistance QTLs were identified in PI 270442 on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12, of which those on chromosomes 6, 10 and 11 were the strongest and co-localized with previously-reported LB-resistance QTLs. Genomic locations of the QTLs were compared with the tomato physical map, which resulted in the identification of several candidate genes that might be underpinning the LB resistance in PI 270442. The identified QTL-linked markers can be used in breeding programs to transfer resistance from PI 270442 into the cultivated tomato via marker-assisted breeding and to develop near-isogenic lines for fine mapping of the QTLs.

Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Fruits and Vegetables Grown in Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Introduction: The presence of pesticide residues in primary and derived agricultural products raises serious health problems for consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the level of pesticide residues in commonly consumed vegetables. Methods: Pesticide residues were extracted from market garden products (Solanum lycopersicum, Capsicum sp, Cucumis sativus and Lactuca sativa) by the QuEchERS method and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV) technique. Results: These analyzes made it possible to detect 32 pesticide residues. All market garden products contained pesticide residues, 12.82% of which exceeded the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The pesticide families found were triazines (34.34%), urea derivatives (31.25%), organophosphorus residues (9.37%), organochlorines (9.37%), triazinones (9.37%) and carbamates (6.25%). Among the market garden products, only lettuce was contaminated by residues from all families with concentrations of pesticide residues exceeding their limits of quantification at the level of 5 molecules: Chlorpropham (0.016 mg/kg), Linuron (0.02 mg/kg), Chlorfenvinphos (0.026 mg/kg) Parathion-ethyl (0.014) and Metolachlor (0.013 mg/kg) which is an organochlorine pesticide. Organochlorines are among the prohibited pesticides. Among agrochemicals used, some were not approved. Conclusion: The results indicate the presence of pesticide residues in commonly consumed vegetables and highlight the urgent need to develop comprehensive intervention measures to reduce the potential health risk to consumers. The need for regular monitoring of pesticide residues and raising farmers' awareness of better pesticide safety practices are actions to be taken for the health of consumers.

Effect of Higher Ethylene Levels Emitted by Shade-Avoider Plants on Neighboring Seedlings

Plants of several species, including crops, change their volatilome when exposed to a low ratio of red to far-red light (low R/FR) that informs about the presence of nearby plants (i.e., proximity shade). In particular, the volatile hormone ethylene was shown to be produced at higher levels in response to the low R/FR signal in shade-avoider plants. Here, we show that the shade-tolerant species Cardamine hirsuta produces more ethylene than shade avoiders such as Arabidopsis thaliana (a close relative of C. hirsuta) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under white light (W). However, exposure to low R/FR (specifically to FR-supplemented W, referred to as W+FR or simulated shade) resulted in only a slight increase in ethylene emission in C. hirsuta compared to shade avoiders. Stimulation of ethylene production by growing plants in media supplemented with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) resulted in reduced hypocotyl growth under W+FR in both A. thaliana and C. hirsuta. ACC-dependent ethylene production also repressed hypocotyl elongation under low W and in the dark in C. hirsuta. By contrast, in A. thaliana, ACC supplementation inhibited hypocotyl elongation in the dark but stimulated it under W. Most interestingly, elongation of dark-grown A. thaliana seedlings was also repressed by exposure to the volatiles released by ACC-grown A. thaliana or tomato plants. This observation suggests that increased ethylene levels in the headspace can indeed impact the development of nearby plants. Although the amount of ethylene released by ACC-grown plants to their headspace was much higher than that released by exposure to low R/FR, our results support a contribution of this volatile hormone on the communication of proximity shade conditions to neighboring plants.

AmiRNA Technology Enhances Tomato Disease Resistance by Suppressing Plant-Pathogen Interaction Pathways through Inhibiting TYLCV Replication.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease has seriously threatened the quality and yield of tomatoes. In this study, we investigated the role of amiRNA technology in disease resistance in tomatoes (cherry tomato and large-fruited tomato) and analyzed the physiological and molecular mechanisms of disease resistance in transgenic plants. TYLCV contains six functional genes, of which the C1, C2, and V1 genes have more phosphorylation sites and glycosylation sites, and the protein structure is more complex. The virus replication was inhibited, the peroxidation of membrane lipids was reduced, and disease resistance was enhanced in all transgenic cherry tomato (J6) plants in which the C1, C2, and V1 genes were silenced, respectively. Similarly, silencing of the C1 gene enhanced disease resistance in large-fruited tomatoes. In conclusion, amiRNA technology hinders viral replication, leading to reduced activity of the tomato plant-pathogen interaction pathway and weakening tomato-virus interactions, thereby improving disease resistance.

Plant Disease Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks

The agricultural sector faces significant losses due to plant diseases, particularly in major crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, and bell peppers. This paper presents a machine learning-based approach to classify diseases in these crops using leaf images. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model was constructed and trained on datasets of healthy leaf images and diseased leaf images from potato, tomato, and bell pepper plants. The model successfully classifies diseases such as Bacterial Spot (for bell peppers), Early Blight, Late Blight, Mosaic Virus, Leaf Mold (for tomatoes), and with a classification accuracy of 93%, this system provides early detection, helping farmers take timely action to reduce disease impact and increase crop yield.

Assessing the Amending and Fertilizing Properties of Digestates From Anaerobic Digestion of Faecal Sludge in Burkina Faso, West Africa

The aim of this work is to contribute to the agronomic utilization of digestate from the anaerobic treatment of faecal sludge at the Office National de l’Eau et de l’Assainissement (ONEA) Kossodo plant in Burkina Faso. Digestates were sampled and dried in the laboratory (25±2 °C). Physico-chemical and microbiological parameters were determined using standard methods. The degree of maturity of the digestate was determined using respirometry and humification tests. The effects of digestate on plants and on environment were studied using phytotoxicity, emergence, growth tests and microbiological analysis. The results revealed a pH of 8.54, electrical conductivity of 7300 µS/cm, 25.42% dry matter, 83.31% organic matter, and 489.8 g/kg total organic carbon. The C/N ratio was 9.7 and the NO3/NH4 ratio was 23.34, indicating mature compost despite other indicators suggesting that the digestate was only partially stabilized. Nutrient contents were 50.48 g/kg total nitrogen, 0.02 g/kg total phosphorus, and 4.72 g/kg total potassium. Water-soluble minerals included 1.97 g/kg ammonium, 45.99 g/kg nitrate, 0.02 g/kg nitrite, 0.35 g/kg phosphate, and 5.90 g/kg sulfate. Phytotoxicity tests showed that cabbage seeds had a germination rate of 89% with digestate filtrate compared to 100% in the control, while tomato seeds had a 100% germination rate with digestate filtrate. The germination indices were 137.58 for tomato and 82.10 for cabbage. Tests on tomato plant growth showed significant effects on biomass, height, leaf number, and branch number, with the 50% digestate proportion demonstrating the highest values. Microbiological analysis detected total aerobic flora at 4.75E+07 CFU/g, yeasts and molds at 7.77E+04 CFU/g, and coliforms at various levels, with potential pathogens such as S. aureus and Salmonella sp. reaching 6.14E+04 and 2.65E+06 CFU/g respectively. The presence of these pathogens suggests a need for further treatment of digestate to ensure safety before field application.

Fly ash amended vermicompost as a growing medium for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris): implications on growth and heavy metal uptake

Fly ash amended vermicompost as a growing medium for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris): implications on growth and heavy metal uptake

Selection of tomato genotypes for organic production systems

ABSTRACT The development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties adapted to organic production systems is crucial for meeting the demand for organic food and for supporting the sustainable agricultural sector. This study aimed to rescue, evaluate genetic diversity and select tomato genotypes suitable for growing under organic production conditions. To achieve this, the work involved assessing nine table tomato genotypes from different varietal groups in two environments (greenhouse and open field organic conditions). Morpho-agronomic and physical-chemical quality characteristics were evaluated. The experimental design used was a randomised block design with four replications. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, means tests, and Spearman’s correlations. Furthermore, hierarchical dendrograms and principal component analysis were performed to assess morphological variability between genotypes in each of the environments. Dissimilarity dendrograms revealed different clustering patterns under greenhouse and field conditions. In general, the genotypes grown in the greenhouse showed higher commercial yields and organoleptic quality, as well as an earlier crop cycle. The Jumbo, Santa Clara and Kada Gigante genotypes exhibited characteristics that were considered to make them suitable for organic cultivation in both environments, especially in the open field. Gaúcho Marmande presented characteristics (vegetative and physico-chemical) that made it suitable for the open field, while Coração-de-Boi, Bocaina and Roquesso were recommended only for greenhouse cultivation.

Efficacy of soil drench and foliar application of iron nanoparticles on the growth and physiology of Solanum lycopersicum L. exposed to cadmium stress.

Cadmium (Cd) can harm the yield and quality of vegetables, threatening food safety. Essential microelements such as iron are crucial for plant growth and can help alleviate heavy metal stress. Recently, nanoparticles have been studied as eco-friendly solutions for mitigating heavy metal stress in plants. In the present study, iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) at 0, 100, and 300mg/L were applied as soil drenches and foliar sprays to tomato plants under cadmium stress. A comparison was made between the application methods of FeNPs by evaluating the growth parameters of tomato plants, including shoot length (SL), root length (RL), number of branches (NB), number of leaves per plant (NL), and leaf area (LA), as well as by assessing biochemical and antioxidant enzyme parameters. In the Cd stress treatment, the protein content decreased by 24.71%, and the phenolic and flavonoid content of the tomato plants also decreased due to cadmium stress, with levels decreasing from 16.07 to 6.9µg and from 0.36 to 0.16µg, respectively. Compared with the soil drench, 100mg/L FeNPs significantly improved the parameters of Cd-stressed plants when used as a foliar spray, leading to increases in shoot length, root length, fruit weight, number of fruits, number of leaves, and number of branches by 42%, 66%, 24%, 66%, 173%, and 45%, respectively. Tomato plants treated with this spray presented increased carotenoid and lycopene contents. FeNP foliar spray also reduced Cd accumulation in plant tissues. This technique shows promise in alleviating Cd stress in vulnerable vegetable plants such as tomatoes.

Releasing a sugar brake generates sweeter tomato without yield penalty.

In tomato, sugar content is highly correlated with consumer preferences, with most consumers preferring sweeter fruit1-4. However, the sugar content of commercial varieties is generally low, as it is inversely correlated with fruit size, and growers prioritize yield over flavour quality5-7. Here we identified two genes,tomato(Solanum lycopersicum) calcium-dependent protein kinase 27 (SlCDPK27; also known as SlCPK27) and its paralogue SlCDPK26, that control fruit sugar content. They act as sugar brakes by phosphorylating a sucrose synthase, which promotes degradationof the sucrose synthase. Gene-edited SlCDPK27 and SlCDPK26 knockouts increased glucose and fructose contents by up to 30%, enhancing perceived sweetness without fruit weight or yield penalty. Although there are fewer, lighter seeds in the mutants, they exhibit normal germination. Together, these findings provide insight into the regulatory mechanisms controlling fruit sugar accumulation in tomato and offer opportunities to increase sugar content in large-fruited cultivars without sacrificing size and yield.

The FERONIA-RESPONSIVE TO DESSICATION 26 module regulates vascular immunity to Ralstonia solanacearum.

Some pathogens colonize plant leaves, but others invade the roots, including the vasculature, causing severe disease symptoms. Plant innate immunity has been extensively studied in leaf pathosystems; however, the precise regulation of immunity against vascular pathogens remains largely unexplored. We previously demonstrated that loss of function of the receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) increases plant resistance to the typical vascular bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. Here, we show that upon infection with R. solanacearum, root xylem cell walls in Arabidopsis thaliana become highly lignified. FER is specifically upregulated in the root xylem in response to R. solanacearum infection, and inhibits lignin biosynthesis and resistance to this pathogen. We determined that FER interacts with and phosphorylates the transcription factor RESPONSIVE TO DESICCATION 26 (RD26), leading to its degradation. Overexpression and knockout of RD26 demonstrated that it positively regulates plant resistance to R. solanacearum by directly activating the expression of lignin-related genes. Tissue-specific expression of RD26 in the root xylem confirmed its role in vascular immunity. We confirmed that the FER-RD26 module regulates lignin biosynthesis and resistance against R. solanacearum in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Taken together, our findings unveil that the FER-RD26 cascade governs plant immunity against R. solanacearum in vascular tissues by regulating lignin deposition. This cascade may represent a key defense mechanism against vascular pathogens in plants.

Response of the tomato leaf miner Phthorimaea absoluta to wild and domesticated tomato genotypes.

Phthorimaea absoluta, a highly destructive invasive pest, poses a significant threat to tomato production globally. Exploring alternative control methods, such as host plant resistance can contribute to diminish reliance on insecticides and promote sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Thus, the identification of new P. absoluta-resistant tomato cultivars and potential wild sources for breeding programmes remains imperative. We evaluated the effect of 19 tomato genotypes, comprising 16 domesticated varieties and three wild tomato species, on oviposition output of female P. absoluta, as well as on larval performance under no-choice conditions using detached leaves. We also characterized and quantified glandular and nonglandular trichomes, exploring their potential correlation with the response of P. absoluta to the tomato plants. Generally, fewer eggs were oviposited on domesticated plants, whereas the wild tomatoes Solanum arcanum and S. neorickii and the domesticated tomato Corona F1 impaired larval development. The pest larvae consumed a limited area of leaflets from S. arcanum and S. neorickii compared to other genotypes, leading to the lowest weights in both male and female pupae. All tomato plants exhibited a prevalence of nonglandular over glandular trichomes, except for S. arcanum, which exhibited a higher abundance of glandular trichomes. Although higher trichome density correlated with longer larval settlement on the leaflets, it did not influence female oviposition. Our findings demonstrate that the wild tomatoes S. arcanum and S. neorickii could be considered as potential sources for breeding programmes, and the domesticated Corona F1 could offer IPM options against P. absoluta. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Spectral discrimination of crops and weeds using deep learning assisted by wavelet transform and statistical preprocessing

Abstract Automatic detection and removal of weeds is a challenging task that requires precise sensors. While crops and weeds possess similar features in terms of appearance, they can be discriminated based on spectral information. This can be done because any object has its own specific spectral signature based on its physical structure and chemical contents. This study examined the use of wavelet transform and deep learning for discrimination of weeds from crops. A total of 626 spectral reflectances in the range of 380 to 1,000 nm were obtained for three crops (cucumber [Cucumis sativus L.], tomato [Solanum lycopersicum L.], and bell pepper [Capsicum annuum L.]) and five different weeds (bindweed [Convolvulus spp.], purple nutsedge [Cyperus rotundus L.], narrowleaf plantain [Plantago lanceolata L.], common cinquefoil [Potentilla simplex Michx.], and garden sorrel [Rumex acetosa L.]). Morse wavelet was employed to decompose the spectra and extract the scalograms, which are the RGB representations of the spectral data. Two deep convolutional neural networks (i.e., GoogLeNet and SqueezNet) were employed for the recognition of crops and weeds. In addition, six common classifiers, including linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, linear support vector machine, quadratic support vector machine, artificial neural networks, and k-nearest neighbors classifier (KNN), were used for the task of crop/weed discrimination to build the comparison with the proposed method. The error of prediction gradually decreased, and a 100% correct classification was achieved after 258 iterations. Analysis showed that SqueezNet provided classification of 100% accuracy, while GoogLeNet’s accuracy was 97.8% for the test set. Among the common classifiers, KNN provided the highest accuracy (i.e., 100%). This study showed that the proposed method can be successfully utilized for classification of crops and weeds.

Influence of Training and Tomato Hybrids on Growth, and Quality of Tomato under Shade Net House

This study examines the influence of different training systems and tomato hybrids on the growth, yield, and quality of tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicon L.) under shade net house conditions. It was conducted at the Hi-Tech Horticulture Unit, Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, Karnal, during the 2016-17 growing season. The experiment followed a Factorial arrangement of treatments in Randomized Complete Block Design (FRBD) with two training systems (one-stem and two-stem) and four hybrids (STH-39, STH-901, STH-801, and STH-701). Growth results indicated that the one-stem system significantly enhanced plant height (270.08 cm), leaf area (77.06 cm²), and stem girth (1.75 cm), while the two-stem system increased the number of leaves (82.80 per plant). Hybrid STH-801 exhibited superior vegetative performance, with the highest plant height (309.03 cm), maximum number of branches (8.17), and largest leaf area (79.22 cm²). In terms of quality parameters, the training systems had no significant effect on traits such as total soluble solids (TSS), pH, pericarp thickness, or shelf life. However, hybrid STH-801 recorded the highest TSS (5.47 °Brix) and longest shelf life (23 days). STH-39 produced the thickest pericarp (1.10 cm) and largest fruit volume (157 cc), contributing to better fruit quality. These findings highlight the importance of hybrid selection and training systems in improving both the growth and quality of tomatoes under protected cultivation.

Efficiency of the fungi isolated from the tomato rhizosphere to control the north root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood 1949

Abstract Background In the South of Russia, due to the large acreage of tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.), there is an acute problem of plant protection against the obligate endoparasitic of the root system Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood 1949. The aim of this study was to assess the nematicidal activity of fungal strains isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato plants infected with root-knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.). Results After conducting route surveys, 10 soil samples were selected from the rhizosphere of tomato plants affected by RKN. Fifteen isolates of fungi belonging to different species were isolated from the soil samples. The species composition of the isolated fungal strains was determined: Metarhizium anisopliae IG01, Penicillium citrinum IG02, Trichoderma harzianum IG03, Aspergillus niger IG04, Trichoderma ghanense IG05, Trichoderma harzianum IG06, Trichoderma atroviride IG07, Aspergillus awamori IG08, Trichoderma atroviride IG09, Paramyrothecium roridum IG10, Trichoderma atroviride IG11, Trichoderma hamatum IG12, Beauveria bassiana IG13, Aspergillus ochraceus IG14, Purpureocillium lilacinum IG15. After initial screening in the laboratory, strains with the greatest nematicidal activity and safe for humans were selected: M. anisopliae ИГ01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09. The mortality rate of RKN when using these fungal strains varied from 79.4 ± 1.8 to 93.9 ± 3.1%. In the greenhouse, the fungal strains M. anisopliae IG01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09 showed high results in reducing the number of galls on the roots of tomato plants, and their biological efficacy was 71.4–83.0%. Conclusion Work on the study of the nematicidal activity of fungi, in vitro and in vivo, allows us to conclude that strains isolated from the rhizosphere of plants can be effective in combating the north RKN (M. hapla). In the future, it is planned to establish the compatibility of M. anisopliae IG01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09 with each other and selecting the ratios of the studied strains to obtain mixtures to create an effective biological nematicide.