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The tomato is the edible berry of the plant Solanum lycopersicum. Tomato plants are widely grown in temperate climates worldwide and are mostly cultivated as annuals. The objective of this study was to understand the interrelation between fruit quality of tomato, some soil biological parameters, and the addition of increasing biochar (BC) soil amendment doses. BC is an industrial product, made from organic waste by pyrolysis. Its use in the soil is known to improve fertility and several soil functions. Among organic, ecological conditions, a field experiment was performed in a type of slightly humous arenosol soil. Effect of increasing doses of biochar (BC) (0.5-, 1.0-, 2.5-, 5.0, 10 m/m% and control) was studied. Nutrient content and Total Soluble Solid (TSS) of the fruits, the ripeness, and the marketable/non-marketable ratio of yield were assessed. The presence of some cultivable microbial physiological groups (fungi, bacteria) and the soil-dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was estimated. Results represented that the changes of fruit TSS content was not linear with the increasing doses of BC. The increased yield (+53%) had an inverse correlation with the TSS content of the berry's pulps, and the content was lowest at the highest BC dose. Optimum doses of BC were considered, like 1-2.5 m/m%, supported by the nutritive element content (+55% N, +76% P, +83% K) and enhanced microbial activities (+45% DHA). Grouping the parameters by Pearson Correlation Coefficient, the biochar amendment was a driving factor for tomato growth, with certain dose limits in the studied organic agricultural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biologically active compounds, sugars, acids and antioxidants are key-important ingredients of healthy tomato food. Objective of the study is to investigate if specific industrial bioeffector products are improving the taste and some quality parameters of tomato fruits and how those results are appearing in pots and among organic field conditions? Spore-forming industrial Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 (RhizoVital) as single inoculums and combinations either with other Bacillus strains (Biorex-1), or with N2-fixing-siderophore-producing strains (Biorex-2) were applied on Solanum lycopersicon Mill. var. Mobil test plant. Soil microbial counts, phosphorus availability and fruit quality, such as total soluble solids (TSS), content of some essential organic acids (citric-, maleic) and sugars (glucose, fructose) were assessed. The results found, that single industrial inoculums of FZB42 product had positive effect on Pavailability and fruit quality in the pots, combinations of other biofertilizers, however, did not give additional results. Fruit quality parameters, TSS content, soluble sugars and organic acids were significantly improved (p<0.05) at both experimental conditions. Such better fruit taste was correlated significantly by the most probable number (MPN) total microbial counts with greater positive values in pot experiment, compared with more variable environmental field condition. The recommendation of using such bioeffector products is supported by the positive interrelation among measured soil characteristics and inside healthy quality parameters of organically grown tomato fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]