Search Results (615)

The intensive use of mineral fertilizers in horticultural systems has improved crop productivity but also increased concerns regarding soil degradation and environmental sustainability. In this context, vermicompost derived from buffalo manure may represent a sustainable alternative for nutrient management and organic waste valorization. This study evaluated the effects of four fertilization strategies on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in loam and clay soils: unfertilized control, mineral fertilization, vermicompost applied at an equivalent nitrogen rate, and the residual effect of vermicompost from a previous cauliflower crop. Agronomic performance, fruit quality, carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and antioxidant-related traits were assessed. Mineral fertilization produced the highest marketable yield, reaching 9.68 and 7.69 kg m⁻² in loam and clay soils, respectively, mainly through increased fruit number. Direct vermicompost application maintained substantial productivity, with yields of 7.55 and 5.18 kg m⁻² in the two soils. The fertilization strategies also induced distinct changes in fruit composition. Mineral fertilization increased total free amino acids to approximately 160 mg g⁻¹ DW, mainly through the accumulation of glutamine, glutamate, asparagine and γ-aminobutyric acid, but was associated with lower soluble solids and antioxidant activity. Vermicompost promoted the highest lycopene concentration, approximately 2.1 mg g⁻¹ DW, in clay soil and maintained intermediate antioxidant activity and amino acid concentrations. Soil texture also influenced carbohydrate partitioning, with greater fructose accumulation in clay soil and greater starch accumulation in loam soil. The residual vermicompost treatment alone did not adequately sustain tomato productivity or metabolic activity, particularly in clay soil. Overall, vermicompost partially replaced mineral fertilization while maintaining satisfactory yield and modulating fruit metabolic quality, although its effectiveness depended strongly on soil texture. Full article

The post-anthesis sepal inflation forming a Chinese lantern in Physalis pubescens represents a striking morphological novelty, whereas in the related genus Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, the sepals remain non-enclosing, providing an ideal comparative system to study reproductive organ divergence. This study aimed to systematically compare the reproductive development between Physalis pubescens L. and Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme. We integrated phylogenetic analysis, light and scanning electron microscopy, semi-thin sectioning, and quantitative RT-qPCR analysis of six MADS-box genes. Phylogenetic analysis placed P. pubescens in a clade with P. alkekengi (L.) and P. ixocarpa (Brot. ex Hornem.), distinct from tomato. Floral organs differed markedly in petal color, anther morphology, and dehiscence type. Microspore development was delayed before the tetrad stage but accelerated thereafter in P. pubescens; S. lycopersicum anthers exhibited pronounced connective tissue proliferation absent in P. pubescens. P. pubescens sepals expanded 6.92-fold by 17 days post anthesis and enclosed the fruit, while S. lycopersicum sepals grew minimally. Sepal expansion was driven by inner epidermal cell enlargement and intercellular space formation, producing a hollow structure with a trichome-free inner epidermis. Expression of six MADS-box genes exhibited diversity: PfMPF2 and PfAGL1 were upregulated during sepal growth, PfMPF3, PfSEP1 and PfSEP3 exhibited a high–low–high pattern with minima at peak growth, and PfAGL6 declined. These findings reveal that coordinated epidermal cell expansion, parenchyma cavity formation, and a dynamic MADS-box gene network govern the inflated sepal syndrome, and highlight key divergences in anther morphogenesis, providing a cellular and molecular framework for reproductive evolution in Solanaceae. Full article

The disposal of stone mine tailings (SMTs) near agricultural lands has become a major environmental concern because of their elevated concentrations of environmentally hazardous metals (EHMs). The minimization of the potential detrimental effects of soil pollution on crop cultivation and food safety are the major concerns in modern agricultural practice. Vermitechnology has emerged as a sustainable bioconversion approach for biotically stabilizing mine tailings into a nature-friendly organic amendment. However, the agronomic potential and environmental safety of vermiprocessed stone mine tailings remain poorly understood. To fill this research gap, this study assessed the effectiveness of mine-tailing-derived vermicompost as an organic amendment for Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) cultivation. Vermicompost was prepared from both inorganic mine tailings and organic cow dung (1:1 and 2:1 ratios, w/w) together using earthworm Eisenia fetida species. The results demonstrated that the treatment amended with 1:1 vermicomposted tailings supplemented with the recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (T3) outperformed all other treatments by enhancing soil microbial activity, the concentration of bioavailable NPK, improved fruit yield, different biochemical parameters, and reduced post-harvest bioavailable Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Cd concentration. Severity Adjustment Margin of Exposure (SAMOE) analysis indicated estimated dietary risk (Class 5) for Cr (VI) and Cd in tomatoes grown on untreated mine tailings, whereas vermicompost-amended treatments reduced the risk to low or negligible levels. Overall, the findings suggest that vermicomposted stone mine tailings emerged as a potential complementary soil amendment and an eco-friendly strategy which improve crop growth while reducing metal availability and its associated health risks. Full article

Plant-parasitic nematodes rely on the perception of host-derived chemical cues released from plant roots to locate suitable hosts, representing a critical prerequisite for successful plant infection. In this study, we selected four representative tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) root-derived chemical signals and demonstrated their distinct effects on the host-seeking behavior of the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). Among these compounds, the flavonoids quercetin and luteolin exhibited significant attractant effects, whereas the alkaloids dihydrocapsaicin and solasodine showed repellent effects. RNA interference (RNAi) experiments further indicated that multiple chemosensory neurons are involved in the recognition of plant-derived chemical cues. Silencing of key chemosensory genes significantly impaired the directed chemotactic response of M. incognita toward tomato roots and reduced its infectivity, demonstrating that the chemosensory system represents a crucial molecular basis regulating host localization and parasitic establishment. This study provides new insights into host recognition mechanisms in root-knot nematodes and offers a theoretical foundation for developing environmentally sustainable strategies for nematode management by targeting host perception processes. Full article

Fruit firmness is a pivotal agronomic and commercial trait that determines the storability, transport tolerance and edible quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Fruit softening severely restricts postharvest performance and economic benefits of tomato products worldwide. This review summarizes the latest research progress on factors and regulatory mechanisms governing tomato fruit firmness. Multiple environmental factors including temperature, light, moisture and atmospheric composition jointly affect cell wall structure and metabolism, thereby altering fruit firmness. Mineral nutrition, postharvest handling and pathogen infection also exert profound impacts on texture characteristics by modulating physiological activities and cell wall integrity. Phytohormones such as gibberellin, ethylene, abscisic acid, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid form complex signaling crosstalk to mediate fruit softening processes. Furthermore, we elaborate on the functions of transcription factors, quantitative trait loci, and key functional genes, as well as research advances in transcriptomics and metabolomics, including transcriptome analyses identifying differentially expressed genes related to cell wall remodeling, and metabolomic profiling revealing hydroxyproline and galacturonic acid as firmness-associated markers. Cell wall metabolism is confirmed as the core pathway controlling fruit softening. Finally, future research directions are proposed, focusing on single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to map softening regulatory networks, AI-driven predictive modeling for softening kinetics and shelf-life optimization, and CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing for precise trait improvement. Full article

Bacterial isolates obtained from spores of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have been reported to possess various plant growth-promoting traits. These bacterial isolates enhance plant growth and development through mechanisms such as phytohormone production and nutrient mobilization. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of bacterial isolates to promote plant development. Five bacterial isolates, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Fictibacillus barbaricus, Stutzerimonas stutzeri, Bacillus aryabhattai, and Priestia aryabhattai, were isolated from AMF (Funneliformis mosseae) spores. The results indicated that all five bacterial isolates promoted plant growth. The greatest positive effects on the tomato seed germination were obtained with Bacillus methylotrophicus and Stutzerimonas stutzeri, with germination percentages of 90% and 95%, respectively. In addition, Stutzerimonas stutzeri enhanced early tomato seedling growth. Priestia aryabhattai produced the highest amount of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 94.43 µg mL⁻¹, which is the auxin phytohormone for plant growth promotion. Furthermore, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Fictibacillus barbaricus, and Bacillus aryabhattai were able to produce high levels of ammonia, which may contribute to improving plant growth in nutrient-deficient environments. In addition, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Bacillus aryabhattai, and Priestia aryabhattai were able to solubilize both phosphate and potassium. These findings suggest that the investigated bacterial strains could be combined with AMF to improve crop establishment and support sustainable agricultural systems by enhancing nutrient availability and reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) exhibits extensive cultivar diversity in fruit morphology, color, and bioactive compounds. These are closely associated with genetic background, ripening stage, and carotenoid metabolic regulation. Carotenoids, especially lycopene and β-carotene, are major determinants of tomato coloration and are also nutritionally and industrially important high-value-added antioxidants. Carotenoid profiles are regulated by changes in related biosynthetic pathways, including precursor supply, desaturation, isomerization, and cyclization. Key genes such as PSY1, CRTISO, LCY-B and LCY-E play central roles in carotenoid synthesis and accumulation, thereby determining color phenotypes. Mutations and genome-editing (CRISPR/Cas9) approaches can modify carotenoid metabolic flux and develop cultivars with improved nutritional traits. Furthermore, advanced and sustainable recovery strategies for carotenoids (ultrasound-, microwave-, enzyme-, high-pressure-, deep eutectic solvent-, and supercritical fluid-assisted extraction methods) have been developed for efficient pigment extraction. In this review, we compare the physiological and molecular characteristics of diverse cultivars and traits of advanced bioprocesses in terms of carotenoid extraction efficiency and solvent safety. Finally, we discuss various encapsulation techniques that improve product stability and storage performance in industrial applications. Taken together, we review practical strategies combining cultivar-based carotenoid production, sustainable recovery, and product stabilization. Full article

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes, WH) is a highly invasive aquatic plant. Although its surplus biomass has been proposed as an agricultural amendment, uncertainty remains regarding its safe use. Based on this knowledge gap, two working hypotheses were addressed: (i) WH application would enhance soil physicochemical and enzymatic attributes, particularly under water stress, and (ii) WH application would stimulate plant growth through nutrient release. To verify this, two WH amendment rates (2.5% and 5% w/w) were evaluated under normal (45%) and severe (22.5%) WHC using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a bioindicator. WH incorporation significantly altered soil conditions, inducing progressive acidification and increasing electrical conductivity (EC), particularly at the 5% rate under well-watered conditions, where EC values reached approximately 3000 µS/cm. Although WH amendments increased soil relative humidity owing to the hydrophilic nature of the biomass, these moisture-driven benefits were transient. Acid phosphatase activity increased markedly by day 60 in WH-amended soils, especially at 45% WHC, indicating enhanced microbial activity and phosphorus mineralization associated with organic matter decomposition. Plant responses were strongly driven by water availability, with severe water restrictions consistently limiting germination and growth and potentiating osmoprotectant retention. From day 60 onward, germination and biomass declined markedly in the 5% WH treatment, likely due to the accumulation of salt and osmotic stress arising from the decomposition of biomass. Surviving seedlings in WH-amended soils exhibited increased shoot biomass relative to their roots, suggesting stress-related biomass reallocation. Overall, the results indicate that the direct application of untreated WH biomass at moderate to high rates may generate short-term benefits but may impair long-term plant establishment. Lower application rates (≤2.5% w/w) may offer limited early stage benefits, whereas higher rates pose risks under prolonged exposure, highlighting the importance of dose, water regime, and amendment processing when considering WH valorization for agricultural use. This valorization approach may contribute to incentivizing control of this invasive species while promoting plant waste valorization within circular economy goals. Full article

Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) is an economically and nutritionally important crop whose germination and early seedling growth are highly sensitive to abiotic stresses that disrupt physiological processes and intensify oxidative damage. Seed priming has emerged as a low-cost physiological preconditioning strategy to enhance stress tolerance by activating repair and defense mechanisms prior to stress exposure. This study evaluated the effects of osmopriming (PEG 6000), halopriming (KNO₃), and chemopriming (SNP) on germination, early seedling growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, and lipid peroxidation in S. lycopersicum under salt stress and iron toxicity. Salt stress was induced with NaCl (100 mM) and iron toxicity with Fe-EDTA (4 mM). Priming treatments included osmopriming with PEG 6000 (−0.4 and −0.8 MPa), halopriming with KNO₃ (25 and 50 mM), and chemopriming with sodium nitroprusside—SNP (0.1 and 0.2 mM). Under salt stress, NaCl (100 mM) completely inhibited germination and increased CAT activity by approximately 49% and POX activity by 4%; however, this antioxidant response was insufficient to reduce MDA content, which remained approximately 58% higher than the control. Under iron toxicity, Fe-EDTA (4 mM) reduced germination to 79% and caused a 425% increase in MDA content relative to the control, indicating severe oxidative damage despite a 59% increase in CAT and 47% increase in POX activities. Among the priming treatments evaluated, halopriming with KNO₃ (50 mM) was the most effective strategy under salt stress, restoring germination to 81%, increasing CAT activity by 103%, and reducing MDA by 18% relative to non-primed salt-stressed seeds. Under iron toxicity, all priming treatments consistently increased antioxidant enzyme activities; however, none were capable of reducing lipid peroxidation or restoring seedling growth to control levels, likely due to continuous ROS generation via Fenton-type reactions that overwhelmed enzymatic detoxification capacity. Full article

Increasing temperature is a major stress factor associated with climate change, strongly limiting agricultural productivity, particularly in sensitive crops such as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). High temperatures promote the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative damage and disruption of key physiological processes. Here, we evaluated whether desert-derived endophytic fungi differentially modulate oxidative stress responses in tomato plants exposed to heat stress. Plants were inoculated with either Talaromyces minioluteus or Serendipita indica and grown under control (22/19 °C) or heat stress conditions (35/19 °C). Heat stress reduced growth and increased oxidative damage, whereas endophyte inoculation mitigated these effects. Inoculated plants showed higher shoot and root biomass, lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and enhanced enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems, including increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), as well as greater accumulation of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. However, the magnitude and direction of these responses depended on the endophyte species. Overall, endophytic fungi modulated ROS homeostasis through coordinated enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms. These findings indicate that desert endophytic fungi enhance tolerance to heat stress through endophyte-specific regulation of oxidative balance, highlighting their potential to improve crop resilience under climate change. Full article

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the world’s second-most cultivated vegetable. Production reached 192 million tonnes in 2023; approximately 23% is industrially processed, leaving 4.3 to 10.2 million tonnes of pomace each year. Despite its high content of lycopene, tocopherols, polyphenols, dietary fibre, and seed oil, most of this residue is composted, landfilled, or fed without prior processing. This narrative review examines how the chemistry of tomato by-products maps onto their effects in farm animals, and how green-extraction biorefinery fits within the European Green Deal. Reported pomace lycopene runs from 36.7 to 50.2 mg/100 g DM, with phenolics near 161.8 mg GAE/g. Lycopene is an efficient singlet-oxygen quencher; it activates Keap1–Nrf2–ARE signaling while dampening NF-κB. Supercritical CO₂, ultrasound, microwave, pressurized-liquid, and NADES extractions can now recover up to 91% of peel lycopene using green, food-grade solvents. In broilers, 5 to 10% pomace or 30 to 400 mg/kg purified lycopene improves antioxidant status and lessens heat stress; in dairy ruminants, ensiled pomace at 10 to 40% maintains milk yield while improving milk PUFA. In finishing pigs and rabbits, dietary pomace or lycopene improves tissue oxidative stability, with growth benefits reported in heat-stressed rabbits. Standardized bioactive reporting and clearer inclusion limits remain the main research priorities. Full article

Fruit color is a key quality trait in cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and an important factor influencing consumer purchasing decisions. Various pigments, including flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls, form the biochemical basis of fruit coloration, imparting vivid colors such as red, yellow, orange, and green. Flavonoids and carotenoids are also essential nutritional components in cherry tomato, directly influencing their commercial value, while chlorophylls are crucial for photosynthesis and fruit development. However, conventional tomato varieties typically contain insufficient flavonoid levels to meet human dietary requirements. In this study, we quantified flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophyll a and b in ten high-flavonoid cherry tomato cultivars and investigated the relationships between fruit color and pigment content. The results revealed that red and orange tomato varieties contained higher flavonoid and carotenoid levels than yellow varieties, while green tomatoes exhibited elevated chlorophyll content. Yellow varieties showed the maximum L* (lightness) value. Flavonoid and carotenoid contents were significantly positively correlated with a* (red-green axis) and a*/b* (yellow-blue axis) values but negatively correlated with hue angle, whereas chlorophyll content showed no significant correlations with color parameters. Our findings provide guidance for evaluating the nutritional value of cherry tomatoes based on pigmentation. Full article

Proper substrate moisture management is essential for producing high-quality seedlings in nurseries. This study aimed to evaluate the morphological and physiological quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings subjected to different substrate moisture levels, monitored by weighing lysimetry under protected environment conditions. Four experiments were conducted over two growing seasons (2019 and 2020) using six irrigation treatments corresponding to 80, 70, 60, 50, and 40% of the substrate water-holding capacity, in addition to the conventional irrigation management adopted by the grower (Control). Water consumption, morphological traits, root architecture, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and photosynthetic pigments were assessed. Cumulative irrigation water applied ranged from 77 to 92 mm in lettuce and from 91 to 132 mm in tomato. Reducing substrate moisture to 40% negatively affected seedling growth, root development, and physiological performance in both species. In tomato, stomatal conductance decreased by up to 90%, accompanied by a decline in Fv/Fm from 0.78 to 0.70. Both lettuce and tomato tolerated moderate reductions in substrate moisture (60–70% holding capacity) without significant losses in growth or gas exchange performance. However, the highest seedling quality was achieved under the grower-managed Control and the 80% substrate moisture treatment, although the traits contributing to this response differed between species. In lettuce, favorable performance was associated with growth, pigment-related traits, and photochemical efficiency, whereas in tomato superior seedling quality was linked to shoot growth, root development, and gas exchange characteristics. These findings support the use of species-specific irrigation strategies to improve seedling quality in nursery production. Full article

Background: In the coming decades, the agricultural system will increasingly rely on organic amendments to sustain crop production, maintain soil health and ensure long-term food security. While inorganic fertilizers remain widely used for vegetable production due to their rapid nutrient availability, their prolonged application has been shown to degrade soil quality, disrupt microbial communities and limit the nutritional quality of harvested produce. Consequently, there is a growing need to explore organic alternatives such as biochar and poultry manure that can enhance both crop productivity and functional quality. Objective: This study aimed to determine the influence of different application rates of biochar (5/T₁, 10/T₂, and 20/T₃ t/ha), poultry manure (10/T₁, 20/T₂, 30/T₃ t/ha), and NPK (2:3:4) as control on the metabolomic profile of tomato fruit. Methods: The metabolomic profile was determined using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: Common metabolites across biochar rates included allantoin, asparagine and betaine, while rate-specific released metabolites such as inosine (T₁), epicatechin (T₂) and kynurenine (T₃) were also identified. Similarly, poultry manure showed an array of metabolites at the highest application rate, with metabolites such as cellobiose, creatinine and maltose, while histamine (T₁) and ADP (T₃) were also detected as distinct metabolites. Full article

Drought is among the most serious abiotic stresses affecting tomato production worldwide, especially under climate change. Plants exposed to repeated drought events may develop stress memory, allowing them to respond more efficiently to subsequent stress exposure. In this study, physiological and transcriptomic tools were combined to investigate dehydration stress memory in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Tomato plants were subjected to two consecutive drought stresses separated by a recovery stage, where control (C), first stress (S1), rehydration (H), and second stress (S2) stages were analyzed. Physiological measurements showed progressive reductions in relative water content (RWC) and PSII activity under drought stress, while proline accumulation was significantly increased during the second stress stage, indicating memory-associated adaptive responses. RNA sequencing revealed dramatic transcriptome reprogramming with thousands of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across stress stages. Hierarchical clustering identified 30 distinct expression patterns among revealed DEGs, including clusters associated with transcriptional memory, adaptive responses, metabolic adjustment, and recovery processes. Several memory-associated clusters were enriched with transcription factors, signaling proteins, osmolyte-related genes, and reactive oxygen species detoxification enzymes. Gene Ontology analysis highlighted significant enrichment of pathways related to photosynthesis, response to water deprivation, ABA signaling, oxidative stress, carbohydrate metabolism, and chromatin organization. Recovery-associated expression of histone and chromatin remodeling genes indicates a potential involvement of epigenetic-related regulatory processes in dehydration stress memory in tomato. Tomato plants respond to repeated dehydration stress through coordinated physiological, metabolic, transcriptional, and epigenetic adjustments that improve stress adaptation. The identified candidate memory genes may provide useful targets for future breeding programs aimed at enhancing drought tolerance in tomato. Full article