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The water footprint is an increasingly demanded environmental sustainability indicator for certifications and labels in agricultural production. Processing tomatoes are highly water-intensive, and existing studies on water footprint have uncertainties and do not consider the impact of different irrigation configurations (e.g., surface drip irrigation (SDI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI)) and irrigation strategies. This study presents a two-year experimental investigation to determine the water footprint of processing tomatoes grown in southern Spain (Andalusia) and the impact of SSDI and deficit irrigation. Five irrigation treatments were established: SDI1 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation), SDI2 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation adjusted by soil moisture readings), SSDI1 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 15 cm), SSDI2 (similar to SSDI1 but with mild/moderate water deficit during the fruit ripening stage), and SSDI3 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 35 cm (first year) and 25 cm (second year)). Measurements included crop vegetative growth, leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange, nitrate concentration in soil solution, and crop yield and quality. The soil water balance components (actual evaporation, actual transpiration, deep drainage), necessary for determining the total crop water footprint, were simulated on a daily scale using Hydrus 2D software. Results indicated that SSDI makes more efficient use of irrigation water than SDI. The water footprint of SSDI1 was 20–35% lower than that of SDI1. SSDI2 showed similar water footprint values to SDI1 under highly demanding environmental conditions and significantly lower values (≈40%) in a year with lower evaporative demand. The dripline depth in SSDI was critical to the water footprint. With a 35 cm installation depth, SSDI3 had a significantly higher water footprint than the other treatments, while the values were similar to SSDI1 when the depth was reduced to 25 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient use of phosphate fertilizers and optimization of the amounts of irrigation water can maximize tomato growth and fruit production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different phosphorus (P) doses and sources on the growth and production components of tomato plants of the cultivar Gaúcho Melhorado Nova Seleção subjected to different irrigation water percentages. To achieve this, we set up an experiment using a factorial design to test the effects of four doses of P2O5 (corresponding to 25%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the recommended dose), two P sources (monoammonium phosphate—MAP and organomineral—OM), and four irrigation water percentages (50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% of field capacity). Tomato plant growth improved when water was supplied at a percentage close to 100% of field capacity, with increased plant height, leaf length, and number of flowers observed (increases of 11.95%, 7.33%, and 13.87%, respectively, compared to 50% of field capacity). However, both excess and deficit irrigation resulted in morphological changes in tomato plants. Additionally, we observed that OM was more effective than MAP in increasing plant diameter and number of flowers, with increases of up to 36.4% and 227.6%, respectively, when using OM. Conversely, tomato growth was negatively affected by higher doses of MAP doses, suggesting that 25% of the recommended dose may yield the best growth rates. We verified that tomato plants can compensate for low phosphorus doses by increasing productivity with higher water amounts (125%–42.40 t ha−1), but high phosphorus doses result in greater fruit production with lower water percentages (50%–41.52 t ha−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum L.) has a very brief storability, displaying chilling injury (CI) when stored in cold conditions used to delay ripening. For this reason, in this study, different concentrations (10, 50, and 100 mg L−1) of chlorogenic acid (ChA) were assayed to evaluate its effectiveness in maintaining fruit quality traits and mitigating CI symptoms in tomatoes. Our results showed that ChA treatments effectively delayed weight loss and maintained fruit firmness, with optimal results observed at 50 mg L−1. In general, higher concentrations did not result in significant quality improvements. Additionally, ChA-treated tomatoes exhibited reduced values in malondialdehyde (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage (EL), indicating improved membrane integrity and reduced oxidative damage. ChA treatments also maintained a higher total phenolic content (TPC) during storage, with significant levels of individual polyphenols such as rutin, neochlorogenic acid, and p-coumaric acid, suggesting enhanced antioxidant capacity and better preservation of fruit quality. This is the first time the potential of ChA to reduce CI has been evaluated in any fruit species, and its impact in tomato ripening is shown to uphold fruit quality during cold storage, prolonging the storability of tomatoes. In particular, we highlight its natural origin and effectiveness as a postharvest treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to increase agricultural production to feed a steadily growing population may clash with the more environmentally friendly but less efficient production methods required. Therefore, it is important to try to reduce the use of chemical inputs without compromising production. In this scenario, natural biostimulants have become one of the most sought-after and researched technologies. In the present study, the results of a greenhouse experiment on hydroponic tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are presented, which involved comparing the use of ordinary NPK fertilizer (Cerbero®) with the use of NPK fertilizers enriched with 0.5% protein hydrolysate of plant origin (Cerbero Green®) at both standard (100%) and reduced (70%) fertilization rates. The results highlight how the use of Cerbero Green® fertilizers improves the production performance of tomatoes. More specifically, they show that the use of Cerbero Green® leads to higher marketable yields, especially under reducing fertilizer use, ensuring a positive net change in profit for the grower. In addition, carbon footprint analysis has revealed that the use of Cerbero Green® reduces the environmental impact of hydroponic tomato growing practices by up to 8%. The observed higher yield of hydroponically grown tomatoes even with reduced fertilization rates underlines once again the key role of natural biostimulants in increasing both the economic and environmental sustainability of horticultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to identification of Vegetative Compatibility Groups (VCGs) and pathogenicity of Verticillium dahliae isolates obtained from tomato plants in Iğdır province. As a result of survey studies conducted in 18 different regions, 14 isolates were obtained from 629 diseased tomato plants. In the complementation test, the seven isolates were found as VCG2A and VCG2B by using international reference isolates. VCGs of other isolates were not identified. Assessment of the aggressiveness of the KRS-2, YC-13, YY-14, and MLK3-4 isolates was evaluated on tomato (cv. Super). The disease severity was between 15-45% and MLK3-4 isolate had the highest disease severity (45%). Additionally, the effect of temperature on the growth of V. dahliae isolates (TSD-1, MLK3- 4 and YY-14) was determined. The isolates showed optimal growth temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 °C (except for TSD-1). In control of fungal diseases, it is very important to describe the disease and pathogen. Therefore, the results of the study are important for tomato growers and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato cultivation is globally significant, demanding enhanced yields and biotic stress resilience for sustainability. Dwarf plant utilization in tomato genetic enhancement offers underexplored benefits. Yet, Santa Cruz dwarf tomato germplasm is unavailable. This study evaluated genetic dissimilarity, agronomic potential, and acylsugar content of Santa Cruz dwarf tomato plants across three successive backcrossings. Twelve advanced backcrossing populations (BC) and a commercial control (cv. Kada) were assessed, totaling 15 treatments. Agronomic traits and acylsugar content were measured, and analysis techniques were applied to assess genetic dissimilarity and backcrossing superiority. BC3 populations UFU-Sci#8, UFU-Sci#6, UFU-Sci#5, and UFU-Sci#1 excelled. Dwarf plants predominantly exhibited high leaflet acylsugar levels, suggesting potential for acquisition of hybrid with pest resistance. Notably, UFU MC TOM1 (dwarf plant) displayed significant glycine and L-serine presence, associated with various biotic stresses. These findings unveil the promising creation of dwarf Santa Cruz tomato hybrids with a broad spectrum of resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress has become a serious problem in tomato production. The parthenocarpic tomato mutants, iaa9–3 and iaa9–5, have been isolated from a mutant population of the Micro-Tom cultivar. According to our previous study, those two mutants are adaptable and capable of producing fruits under heat-stress conditions. On the other hand, from the perspective of commercialisation, seed quality is another important trait. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the iaa9–3 and iaa9–5 mutations on the seed quality by comparing them to its wild type (WT-MT). Several parameters related to seed quality such as seed number, seed viability, vigour index, emergence speed index, and maximum growth potential were analysed. The results showed that iaa9–3 mutation negatively affected seed quality, including reduced seed number, seed viability, vigour index, emergence speed index, and maximum growth potential. Interestingly, iaa9–5 mutation could reduce seed quality while the reduction was not significantly different compared to the WT-MT, suggesting that iaa9–5 was suitable for producing high-quality seeds compared to iaa9–3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shortage induces physiological, biochemical, and molecular alterations in plant leaves that play an essential role in plant adaptive response. The effects of drought and post-drought rewatering on the activity of antioxidant enzymes and levels of H2O2, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and proline were studied in six local tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) varieties. The contents of H2O2 and ascorbic acid increased in all drought-exposed tomato plants and then decreased upon rewatering. The level of phenolic compounds also decreased in response to water shortage and then recovered upon rehydration, although the extent of this response was different in different varieties. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (POX) and the content of proline significantly increased in the drought-stressed plants and then decreased when the plants were rewatered. The activities of 8 constitutive APX isoforms and 2 constitutive POX isoforms varied upon exposure to drought and were observed after rewatering in all studied varieties. The information on the response of tomato plants to drought and subsequent rewatering is of great importance for screening and selection of drought-tolerant varieties, as well as for development of strategies for increasing plant productivity under adverse environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of resistant varieties is an important strategy for managing tomato bacterial spot. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reaction of tomato genotypes to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with 10 genotypes and four repetitions. The genotypes consisted of hybrids (UFU-1, UFU-2, UFU-3), wild resistant accession Solanum pennellii, commercial susceptible cultivar Santa Clara and homozygous lines (UFU-5, UFU-6, UFU-11, UFU-12, UFU-15). The UFU B8 isolate of X. euvesicatoria pv. perforans was used. The bacterial suspension was prepared and adjusted in a spectrophotometer OD550 = 0.5 (1 × 109 CFU mL−1). Inoculation occurred 10 days after transplantation. Disease severity was assessed at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days after inoculation, and the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated. There was a significant difference between the genotypes regarding the severity of the disease at 3, 6 and 12 days after inoculation. Lineages 5, 6 and 12, the hybrid UFU-1 and the wild accession S. pennellii showed the lowest severity of the disease, being promising for promoting genetic improvement programs aimed at resistance to the bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of dwarf plants in tomato breeding has provided several advantages. However, there are no identified dwarf plants (dd) containing the self-pruning habit (spsp). The aim of this work was to obtain future generations, characterize the germplasm, and select potential dwarf plants with a determinate growth habit to obtain Salad-type lines. The work was started by carrying out hybridization, followed by the first, second, and third backcrosses. Once F2BC3 seeds became available, the introgression of the self-pruning gene (spsp) into dwarf plants (dd) began. Three strains of normal architecture and a determinate growth habit were hybridized with two strains of dwarf size and an indeterminate growth habit, thus yielding four hybrids. Additionally, donor genotype UFU MC TOM1, the commercial cultivar Santa Clara, and the wild accession Solanum pennellii were used in the experiment. Agronomic traits, fruit quality, metabolomics, and acylsugars content were evaluated, and dwarf plants with a determinate growth habit were selected. Hybrid 3 exhibited the highest yields. Visual differences between determinate and indeterminate dwarf plant seedlings were observed. It is suggested to carry out five self-pollinations of the best dwarf plant determined and subsequent hybridization with homozygous lines of normal plant architecture and determinate growth habit to obtain hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental - Agriambi is the property of Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agricola e Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The identification of reliable physiological and biochemical indicators for assessing tomato salt tolerance can increase the efficiency of plant breeding to create new varieties and lines. The purpose of our study was to identify available physiological and biochemical relevant characteristics for assessing the sensitivity to sodium chloride salinity of different tomato genotypes at the seedling stage. A complex analysis was carried out based on indicators such as biomass growth, water content of plant tissues, content of readily soluble salts, sodium and chlorine ions, photosynthetic pigments, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Additionally, the stomata area of the upper and lower epidermis was taken into account. The comprehensive assessment carried out made it possible to reliably divide the eight studied tomato varieties into two groups: sensitive (Belyij Naliv, Geya, YaLF, Paradigma) and tolerant (Recordsmen, Yuryevskij, Bych'e Serdce, Astrakhanskij). Tomato genotypes that can be classified as sensitive (in order of increasing sensitivity to high concentrations of NaCl (150 mM)) were Belyij Naliv > Geya > YaLF ≥ Paradigma. Tomato genotypes that can be classified as resistant to salt stress (in order of increasing tolerance to high concentrations of NaCl (150 mM)) were Recordsmen < Yuryevskij < Bych'e Serdce < Astrakhanskij. The advisability of only using complex physiological and biochemical indicators to obtain relevant assessments for salinity tolerance at the early stages of tomato plant development has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato grafting is an effective practice in increasing the profitability of fresh-market tomato cultivation, especially in greenhouses, and is also considered a strategy for enhancing fruit quality. In this study, selected quanti-qualitative traits, and the of bioactive health-promoting compound and organic acid contents of cherry tomato fruits from three different scion/rootstock combinations (Sunstream/Top Bental, Sunstream/Kaiser and Sunstream/Suzuka) grown under a greenhouse hydroponic system were evaluated in three different harvests (beginning, middle and end of the whole harvesting period) and on three different bunch portions (proximal, central and distal). Although the tomato productive performance was influenced by the rootstock, with Suzuka and Kaiser grafted plants showing the highest total marketable yield (9.8 kg plant−1, i.e., 20% more than Top Bental), the yield-related traits (bunch number, weight and length per plant, and fruit number per bunch) and the qualitative characteristics of the fruits (color, equatorial and polar diameters, dry matter and solid soluble contents, pH and titratable acidity) showed less variability, by displaying, along with the bioactive compound contents (total polyphenols, lycopene, β-carotene), DPPH free radical scavenging activity and organic acids contents (lactic and acetic), a significant effect of the harvesting time and bunch portion. Fruits from the beginning of the harvesting period showed better qualitative and functional properties, with the lycopene and β-carotene contents equal to 178.6 and 3 mg 100 g−1 fw, and fruits from proximal and central bunch portions had lycopene and β-carotene contents equal to 203.1 and 2.9 mg 100 g−1 fw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fungi of the genus Trichoderma have a number of positive effects on plants that are manifested in the stimulation of plant growth and tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress factors. Our findings provide evidence for the swift response of tomato seeds to Trichoderma spp. exposure under in vitro conditions. The response was examined after 48 h of germination, before any physical contact was established between Trichoderma spp. and tomato seeds. Spectroscopic methods were used to reveal the nature of tomato seed germination stimulation by Trichoderma. Induction of the higher synthesis of phenolic compounds through plant specific responses within seed radicles was indicated. Observed differences between treatments were predominantly based on modifications in the pectin content in the middle lamella, as well as alterations in hemicelluloses and xyloglucan within the primary cell wall. Significant alterations in the composition of tomato seed radicles treated with Trichoderma spp., characterized by changes in total protein and a concurrent reduction in pectin and/or xyloglucan levels were observed. Applied spectroscopic methods are valuable tools to investigate the stimulation of seed germination by symbiotic microorganisms. Characterized by low cost and high measurement speed, they could be used in large-scale selection of the best genotype-strain combinations for better germination. Seed germination is a complex process that can be negatively affected by numerous stresses. Trichoderma spp. are known as effective biocontrol agents as well as plant growth and germination stimulators. However, understanding of the early interactions between seeds and Trichoderma spp. remains limited. In the present paper, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy were used to reveal the nature of tomato seed germination as stimulated by Trichoderma. A rapid response of tomato seeds to Trichoderma spp. was observed within 48 h on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) substrate, preceding any physical contact. Raman analysis indicated that both Trichoderma species stimulated phenolic compound synthesis by triggering plant-specific responses in seed radicles. The impact of T. harzianum and T. brevicompactum on two tomato cultivars resulted in alterations to the middle lamella pectin, cellulose, and xyloglucan in the primary cell wall. The Raman spectra indicated increased xylan content in NA with T9 treatment as well as increased hemicelluloses in GZ with T4 treatment. Moreover, T4 treatment resulted in elevated conjugated aldehydes in lignin in GZ, whereas the trend was reversed in NA. Additionally, FTIR analysis revealed significant changes in total protein levels in Trichoderma spp.-treated tomato seed radicles, with simultaneous decreases in pectin and/or xyloglucan. Our results indicate that two complementary spectroscopic methods, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, can give valuable information on rapid changes in the plant cell wall structure of tomato radicles during germination stimulated by Trichoderma spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An outbreak of tomato fruit blotch virus (ToFBV) has been identified in the tomato greenhouse production area of Sicily, Italy. The virus was first isolated from symptomatic tomato plants in Latina, Lazio in 2018. In December 2023, tomato plants in Ragusa province showed circular or irregular chlorotic blotches on the fruit. Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of ToFBV in all symptomatic samples. The outbreak has prompted eradication measures in the region. [Extracted from the article]

In an attempt to reduce such decay induced by pathogenic causes, several studies investigated the effectiveness of nanoparticles (NPs) that play a vital role in saving food products, especially fruits. Current research delves into biogenic silver nanoparticles (using marine alga Turbinaria turbinata (Tt/Ag-NPs) and their characterization using FT-IR, TEM, EDS, and zeta potential. Some pathogenic fungi, which cause fruit spoilage, were isolated. We studied the impact of using Tt/Ag-NPs to protect against isolated fungi in vitro, and the influence of Tt/Ag-NPs as a coating of tomato fruit to protect against blue mold caused by Penicillium italicum (OR770486) over 17 days of storage time. Five treatments were examined: T1, healthy fruits were used as the positive control; T2, healthy fruits sprayed with Tt/Ag-NPs; T3, fruits infected with P. italicum followed by coating with Tt/Ag-NPs (pre-coating); T4, fruits coated with Tt/Ag-NPs followed by infection by P. italicum (post-coating); and T5, the negative control, fruits infected by P. italicum. The results displayed that Tt/Ag-NPs are crystalline, spherical in shape, with size ranges between 14.5 and 39.85 nm, and negative charges. Different concentrations of Tt/Ag-NPs possessed antifungal activities against Botrytis cinerea, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Penicillium expansum, Alternaria alternate, and Stemphylium vesicarium. After two days of tomatoes being infected with P. italicum, 55% of the fruits were spoilage. The tomato fruit coated with Tt/Ag-NPs delayed weight loss, increased titratable acidity (TA%), antioxidant%, and polyphenol contents, and decreased pH and total soluble solids (TSSs). There were no significant results between pre-coating and post-coating except in phenol contents increased in pre-coating. A particular focus is placed on the novel and promising approach of utilizing nanoparticles to combat foodborne pathogens and preserve commodities, with a spotlight on the application of nanoparticles in safeguarding tomatoes from decay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of semi‐transparent solar panels offers opportunities for their application in greenhouses where the radiation is a critical issue. The light passing through these panels is often affected, leading to a decrease in certain wavelengths that could potentially impact plant growth and quality. To address this concern, this study is performed to investigate the growth and yield of tomato and broccoli plants cultivated under semi‐transparent photovoltaic solar panels compared to those grown under conventional greenhouse plastic. Their physiological and metabolic changes are also examined. A decrease in the yellow/green spectrum after installation of the solar panels is observed. In both plants, slight alterations are observed by solar panels, enhancing even the height of plants and fruit yield in case of tomato. However, both plants showed changes related to their photosynthetic activity and some metabolite concentration. Specifically, there are significant reductions in An (photosynthetic rate) and lower levels of trigonelline in plants grown under solar panels. These reductions may be attributed to the different radiation conditions experienced by the plants, which do not appear to directly impact plant growth. The obtained results highlight the promising potential of solar panel‐integrated greenhouses that optimize economic and energy benefits while maintaining product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving water use efficiency is gaining relevance for the sustainability of agricultural practices. In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, recent studies highlighted that future climatic scenarios will be even more critical for crops, given the increase in water scarcity. In this context, the rationalization of irrigation water is necessary to sustain processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) yield and quality since this crop requires large volumes of water. The present research aimed to identify the effects of a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy on the environmental and economic sustainability and fruit technological and functional quality of the processing tomato crop in the Mediterranean area. A two-year, open-field experiment was carried out to compare full irrigation management (IRR, restoring 100% ETc) with an RDI strategy based on restoring 50% ETc when the first fruit cluster reached the typical size (BBCH 701 phenological stage, relative to Solanaceous fruits). Remarkable water saving (21.46%, average of the two years) was achieved under RDI without significant variations in total and marketable yield compared to the IRR regime. Consequently, improved economic water productivity (+23.17%) was observed, allowing enhanced processing tomato sustainability. The RDI strategy boosted the glucose content (+17.78%), soluble solids content (SSC, +10.17%), and dry matter of the fruits (+10.03 g%). Furthermore, a higher SSC-to-titratable acidity ratio (+15.47%) and a negative shift in fructose/glucose balance (−7.71%) were observed in RDI-treated plants. Higher levels of the drought stress markers proline (+38.99%) and total polyphenols (+20.58%) were detected in RDI- compared to IRR-irrigated tomato fruits. These findings suggested the RDI strategy as an effective and sustainable approach for increasing both water productivity and the fruit quality of the processing tomato crop under semi-arid Mediterranean climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using microorganisms as biocontrol agents of phytopathogens has been an alternative to synthetic fungicides. Actinomycetes isolated from soil and plants have reduced diseases caused by phytopathogens; however, microorganisms from marine environments may be an option as biocontrol agents. The tomato crop possesses an important economic impact worldwide, being Mexico the main exporter. Several species of Fusarium cause damage to tomato crops and are controlled with synthetic fungicides. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of marine actinomycetes as biocontrol on Fusarium solani in tomato plants. Four strains of marine actinomycetes (A20, A19, A18, and A15) and one terrestrial actinomycete (ED48) were used. The actinomycetes strains used, produced siderophores. The greatest inhibition of mycelial growth of F. solani due to iron competition was obtained by strain A19 with 74.28%. Only two actinomycetes showed antifungal activity by VOCs (A19 and A18), strain A19 showed the highest antagonistic activity with PICR of 76.75%. Actinomycetes treatments showed significant differences with synthetic fungicide application in growth, disease severity (SE), and disease incidence (DI) variables. The application of marine actinomycete (A19) on plants infested with F. solani increased the levels of enzyme activity (SOD, POD, CAT, and PAL) versus plants in that only F. solani and distilled water (control) were applied. Actinomycetes of marine origin are an option as biocontrol agents for F. solani. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphorus (P) fertilizers, made from rock phosphate, increase crop yields. However, rock phosphate is a finite resource, stressing the need for more P‐efficient crops. Aims: This study aims to exploit P‐adaptive traits that enhance P‐acquisition and P‐use efficiency in crops, as a potential sustainable P‐use management method in agricultural settings. Methods: This study investigates the biostimulant effects of Aphanothece sp. extracts (ApE) on P absorption efficiency traits of tomato plants supplied with triple super phosphate fertilizer (0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mM Pi). Results: ApE extracts exhibited significant effects on P uptake, Lycopersicum esculentum high‐affinity phosphate transporter (LePT) genes, chlorophyll, and lipid contents, compared with control plants. ApE significantly enhanced leaf LePT4 in ApE‐treated plants supplied with 0.3 mM Pi, and root LePT2 in ApE‐treated plants supplied with 0.6 mM Pi. According to principal component analysis, P concentration in roots (root Pi) was closely associated with root dry weight (DW), root LePT2, and leaf LePT4. The phytohormone, gibberellin gibberellic acid 4, slightly correlated with root Pi, LePT2 (0.18), LePT4 (0.28), and more with root (0.72) and shoot DW (0.60), whereas abscisic acid correlated with chlorophyll content (0.60), LePT2 (0.50), and LePT4 (0.49), and slightly with root Pi (0.22). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis also showed that the application of ApE to plants stimulated the biosynthesis of several metabolites. The metabolic pathway analysis using MetaboAnalyst revealed that ApE treatment induced the unsaturated fatty acid, steroid, cutin, suberin, and wax biosynthesis pathways. Conclusions: ApE application to tomato plants stimulated P uptake by roots through enhanced expression of high‐affinity P transporters (root LePT2 and leaf LePT4), positively correlated with root DW and root Pi. The study also suggests that algal extracts stimulate plant growth through improved P uptake and modulate the plant's metabolic pathways that favor crop performance in tomato plants under normal Pi conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Eurasian Journal of Applied Biotechnology is the property of National Center for Biotechnology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The DOWNY MILDEW RESISTANCE 6 (DMR6) protein is a 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) and Fe(II)-dependent oxygenase, involved in salicylic acid (SA) metabolism. SA is recognized as an abiotic stress-tolerance enhancer, and in tomato the inactivation of DMR6 was found increase its level and induce disease-resistance against several pathogens. By applying the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, we generated Sldmr6-1 tomato mutants and tested their tolerance to drought as well as to Late Blight. Wild-type tomato cultivar ‘San Marzano’ and its Sldmr6-1 mutants were subjected to water deprivation for 7 days. WT plants exhibited severe wilting, while T2 Sldmr6-1 mutants showed turgid leaves and maintained higher Soil Relative Water Content. Eco-physiological measurements highlighted that Sldmr6-1 mutants adopted a water saving behavior reducing transpiration rate by decreasing stomatal conductance. Under drought stress the assimilation rate decreased as well, resulting in no alteration of the CO2 concentration in the sub-stomatal chamber and increasing the Water Use Efficiency. Furthermore, in Sldmr6-1 mutants the drought stress induced up-regulation of the anti-oxidant related genes SlAPX and SlGST as well as down-regulation of SlCYP707A2 gene, which is involved in ABA catabolism. At last we highlighted, for the first time in tomato, that Sldmr6-1 mutants exhibited a reduced susceptibility to Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of Late Blight.

Intercropping with hyperaccumulators can facilitate the safe utilization of cadmium-contaminated soil. However, the effectiveness of this approach is influenced by plant species and varieties, which necessitates research on optimal plant consortia. In this study, 8 tomato varieties (3 cherry tomatoes and 5 common large-fruit tomatoes) were intercropped with Sedum alfredii in a moderately Cd-contaminated vegetable field. The results showed that the Cd concentration in the fruits of common large-fruit tomato varieties under monoculture was 1.03–1.50 mg/kg, while that in the fruits of cherry tomato varieties was 0.67–0.71 mg/kg. After intercropping with S. alfredii, the fruit Cd concentrations of Hangza 501, Hangza 503, and Hangza 108 decreased by 16.42 %, 19.72 %, and 6.76 %, respectively, while those of the other varieties significantly increased, except for those of Hangza 8. In contrast, the shoot Cd concentration of cherry tomatoes was greater than that of large-fruit tomatoes under monoculture. Furthermore, a significant increase in the shoot Cd concentration was noted in the Hangza 501, Hangza 503 and Hangza 603 plants following intercropping. Additionally, intercropping with S. alfredii increased the concentration of soluble sugars in the fruits of Hangza 8, Hangza 501, Hangza 503 and Hangza 603 by 4.66 %, 17.91 %, 10.60 % and 17.88 %, respectively. Intercropping with tomatoes resulted in a decrease in both the biomass and Cd uptake of S. alfredii. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect on S. alfredii was less pronounced when intercropped with cherry tomatoes than when intercropped with large-fruit tomatoes. Among the intercropping treatments, S. alfredii exhibited the greatest total Cd accumulation (0.06 mg/plant) when intercropped with Hangza 503. In conclusion, the cherry tomato variety Hangza 503 was the most suitable for intercropping with S. alfredii and can be used safely for vegetable production and simultaneous phytoremediation of polluted soil. Our findings suggest that strategic selection of tomato varieties can optimize the effectiveness of “phytoextraction coupled with agro-safe production” technology for managing soil Cd concentrations.

ABSTRACT Obtaining introgression lines of saladete-type dwarf tomato plants can provide several advantages in breeding programs. In addition to increasing productivity, the dwarf plant can produce metabolites that are important to resistance to biotic stress. However, there are no saladette-type dwarf tomato introgression lines. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic potential, fruit quality, and secondary metabolites associated with pest resistance for the development saladette-type dwarf tomato introgression lines. The experiment was conducted with 23 treatments, including the UFU MC TOM 1 donor parent, the UFU TOM 5 recurrent parent, the Pizzadoro commercial cultivar (control), 5 populations from the first backcross, and 15 populations from the second backcross. Agronomic and nutraceutical characteristics of fruits and the acylsugar content in the leaflets were evaluated. The genetic dissimilarity was calculated using the generalized Mahalanobis distance (D2). Genetic gain through selection was estimated using the rank sum index and the genotype-ideotype distance index. The selection indices showed the importance of obtaining the second backcross. The populations UFU_13_1, UFU_17_1, UFU_10_1, UFUi_11_3, UFUi_10_3, and UFU_11_2 have the potential to obtain introgression lines as they present good agronomic and fruit quality characteristics and acylsugar content similar to UFU MC TOM 1. The dwarf tomato germplasm obtained has significant genetic variability and a saladette-type genetic background with the potential to develop introgression lines. The cultivar UFU MC TOM 1 is promising and can overcome the wild access Solanum pennellii for breeding programs aimed at pest resistance, increasing productivity, and biofortification of fruits to enhance carotenoids.

The root maggot fly, Delia sanctijacobi (Bigot, 1885) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), is an emerging pest of many vegetables. In this note, we report for the first time the occurrence of D. sanctijacobi damaging the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) culture in Brazil. The occurrence was recorded in a tomato field located in the municipality of Coronel Freitas, Santa Catarina. The damage was characterized by roots consumption, opening of galleries in the stem and plant stand reduction. The first detection of D. sanctijacobi on tomato in Brazil brings an alert to growers and the need of future research about population dynamics and development of management strategies for this species.

Molybdenum (Mo) is a crucial microelement for both, humans and plants. The use of agronomic biofortification techniques can be an alternative method to enhance Mo content in vegetables. Concomitantly, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) application is a valuable strategy to enhance plant performances and overcome plant abiotic distresses such as microelement overdose. The aim of this research was to estimate the direct and/or indirect effects of Mo supply at four doses [0.0, 0.5 (standard dose), 2.0 or 4.0 μmol L−1], alone or combined with AMF inoculation, on plant performances. In particular, plant height and first flower truss emission, productive features (total yield, marketable yield and average marketable fruit weight) and fruit qualitative characteristics (fruit dry matter, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, lycopene, polyphenol, nitrogen, copper, iron and molybdenum) of an established cherry tomato genotype cultivated in soilless conditions were investigated. Moreover, proline and malondialdehyde concentrations, as well as Mo hazard quotient (HQ) in response to experimental treatments were determined. A split-plot randomized experimental block design with Mo dosages as plots and +AMF or -AMF as sub-plots was adopted. Data revealed that AMF inoculation enhanced marketable yield (+50.0 %), as well as some qualitative traits, such as fruit soluble solids content (SSC) (+9.9 %), ascorbic acid (+7.3 %), polyphenols (+2.3 %), and lycopene (+2.5 %). Molybdenum application significantly increased SSC, polyphenols, fruit Mo concentration (+29.0 % and +100.0 % in plants biofortified with 2.0 and 4.0 μmol Mo L−1 compared to those fertigated with the standard dose, respectively) and proline, whereas it decreased N (−25.0 % and −41.6 % in plants biofortified with 2.0 and 4.0 μmol Mo L−1 compared to those fertigated with the standard dose, respectively). Interestingly, the application of AMF mitigated the detrimental effect of high Mo dosages (2.0 or 4.0 μmol L−1). A pronounced advance in terms of plant height 45 DAT, fruit lycopene concentration and fruit Fe, Cu and Mo concentrations was observed when AMF treatment and Mo dosages (2.0 or 4.0 μmol Mo L−1) were combined. Plants inoculated or not with AMF showed an improvement in the hazard quotient (HQ) in reaction to Mo application. However, the HQ - for a consumption of 200 g day−1 of biofortified cherry tomato - remained within the safety level for human consumption. This study suggests that Mo-implementation (at 2.0 or 4.0 μmol L−1) combined with AMF inoculation could represent a viable cultivation protocol to enhance yield, produce premium quality tomato fruits and, concomitantly, improve Mo dose in human diet. In the light of our findings, further studies on the interaction between AMF and microelements in other vegetable crops are recommended.

Introduction: High-throughput phenotyping technologies together with metabolomics analysis can speed up the development of highly efficient and effective biostimulants for enhancing crop tolerance to drought stress. The aim of this study was to examine the morphophysiological and metabolic changes in tomato plants foliarly treated with two protein hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of vegetal proteins from Malvaceae (PH1) or Fabaceae (PH2) in comparison with a control treatment, as well as to investigate the mechanisms involved in the enhancement of plant resistance to repeated drought stress cycles. Methods: A phenotyping device was used for daily monitoring morphophysiological traits while untargeted metabolomics analysis was carried out in leaves of the best performing treatment based on phenotypic results. Results: PH1 treatment was the most effective in enhancing plant resistance to water stress due to the better recovery of digital biomass and 3D leaf area after each water stress event while PH2 was effective in mitigating water stress only during the recovery period after the first drought stress event. Metabolomics data indicated that PH1 modified primary metabolism by increasing the concentration of dipeptides and fatty acids in comparison with untreated control, as well as secondary metabolism by regulating several compounds like phenols. In contrast, hormones and compounds involved in detoxification or signal molecules against reactive oxygen species were downregulated in comparison with untreated control. Conclusion: The above findings demonstrated the advantages of a combined phenomics-metabolomics approach for elucidating the relationship between metabolic and morphophysiological changes associated with a biostimulantmediated increase of crop resistance to repeated water stress events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spaceflight storage of seeds is known to cause mutations affecting both their quality and the mature plants originating from them. To study the effects of space stress, tomato seeds of two cultivars (Lotus and Autumn rhapsody) were subjected to half a year of storage at the International Space Station (ISS), and then, sown in a greenhouse to produce tomato fruits. The space-treated plants gave smaller fruits with a stable total yield not significantly different from that of the control plants. Space-treated tomatoes showed significantly higher levels of dry matter, dietary fiber, monosaccharides and citric and malic acids and lower values of oxalic acid compared to the control plants. The pulp of space-treated fruits had 1.44–1.70 times lower levels of carotenoids, while their peel contained a 1.27–1.90 times higher pigment amount compared to the control plants. No significant changes in the total antioxidant activity (AOA), photosynthetic pigments and phenolic (TP) and proline content were recorded in the fruits due to seed spaceflight storage. Contrarily, space-treated tomatoes showed decreased levels of Ca, Sr and Mo and increased Se both in the fruit pulp and peel. The concentration of Fe and especially Pb was lower in space-treated fruit pulp. Positive correlations between Se and dry matter, Ca and Sr, Ca and Co, Ca and Fe, and Cr and carotenoids, and negative correlations between Se and Mo, Se and K, and Mo and dry matter were recorded. The results indicate that seed stress caused by long-term spaceflight affects both the biochemical characteristics and mineral composition of tomato fruits and causes the peel/pulp redistribution of carotenoids as well as macro- and micro-elements, improving Se accumulation levels in the fruit peel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of differently colored low-density polyethylene mulching films (black, silver/brown, and yellow/brown) in comparison with bare soil (BS) on soil temperatures, yield and yield components (number of fruit and average fruit weight), and fruit quality traits (color, firmness, total soluble solids content, polyphenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and antioxidant activity) of a 'San Marzano' tomato crop grown in Southern Italy over two years (2014 and 2015). The warmer season (2015) shortened the cropping cycle (124 vs. 178 days, 2015 vs. 2014), thereby accelerating fruit ripening and improving firmness and redness (on average, the color parameter a/b was greater than in 2014). It determined the best yield response (53 vs. 44 Mg ha−1) by increasing the number of commercial fruits per unit land area despite the lower average fresh weight (AFW) than the first year. Regardless of the different plastic films, in both years, soil heat storage produced by mulching improved yield as compared to BS and showed a positive and significant effect on the contents of total soluble solids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids without affecting the antioxidant activity. The highest values of quality traits were reached in the second year with silver and yellow mulches. Therefore, since the colored mulching films (yellow and silver) had a contradictory effect on yield and quality in the two years, further investigation is desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) and severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease (Mpro) have been established as the prime targets to restrict viral invasion and replication inside the host, respectively. Methods: The current study delineated the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro as well as human ACE-2 inhibitory potential of carotenoids and polyphenols from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) via in-silico interaction studies. Results: Our drug-likeness studies showed that the selected carotenoids and polyphenols exhibited acceptable Lipinski’s score and ADME determinants. Further, in-silico molecular modelling studies revealed that β-carotene, among other carotenoids, topped the binding score (ΔG: −6.75 kcal/mol; Ki: 11.32 μM) against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, whereas, cyanidin was the best inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro ( −7.24 kcal/mol; Ki: 4.92 μM) amongst polyphenols. Similarly, α-carotene from carotenoids exhibited strongest human ACE-2 inhibitory activity (ΔG: −8.85 kcal/mol; Ki: 326.13 μM), whereas, cyanidin from polyphenols showed best binding affinity against human ACE-2 (ΔG: −7.24 kcal/mol; Ki: 4.89 μM). In contrast, 6-(ethylamino)-pyridine-3-carbonitrile, standard inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, exhibited comparatively weaker binding (ΔG: −4.78 kcal/mol; Ki: 267.49 μM), whereas, telmisartan (reference ACE-2 inhibitor) also exhibited lesser affinity (ΔG: −6.40 kcal/mol; Ki: 20.40 μM). Further exploration via MDS studies also validated the dynamic behavior and stability of protein-ligand complexes as evident by desirable RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and SASA. Conclusion: The current study established carotenoids and polyphenols from S. lycopersicum L. as finer substitutes of reference standards against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and human ACE-2 activity in combating SARS-CoV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tomato is a convenient object for studying reproductive processes, which has become a classic. Such complex processes as flowering and fruit setting require an understanding of the fundamental principles of molecular interaction, the structures of genes and proteins, the construction of signaling pathways for transcription regulation, including the synchronous actions of cis-regulatory elements (promoter and enhancer), trans-regulatory elements (transcription factors and regulatory RNAs), and transposable elements and epigenetic regulators (DNA methylation and acetylation, chromatin structure). Here, we discuss the current state of research on tomatoes (2017–2023) devoted to studying the function of genes that regulate flowering and signal regulation systems using genome-editing technologies, RNA interference gene silencing, and gene overexpression, including heterologous expression. Although the central candidate genes for these regulatory components have been identified, a complete picture of their relationship has yet to be formed. Therefore, this review summarizes the latest achievements related to studying the processes of flowering and fruit set. This work attempts to display the gene interaction scheme to better understand the events under consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meloidogyne spp. are important parasitic nematodes affecting a variety of plants worldwide. We investigated the nematicidal properties of specific compounds found in bio-fumigant plants, particularly linalool, nonanal, methylene chloride, and 2-Decanal. Laboratory findings revealed that methylene chloride and 2-Decenal effectively reduced populations of second-stage juveniles (J2s). Additionally, the research explored the effects of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) on M. incognita J2s, observing that tomato leaves significantly increased J2 mortality for all time measurements and different temperatures, while the opposite results were observed for root-stems. In the study, leaf treatment resulted in a maximum mortality response (MRmax) and half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of approximately 100% and 4.0 µg/mg, respectively, at a temperature of 35 °C by week 8. In contrast, the root-stems treatment showed an MRmax of 13.5% and an EC50 of 3.0 ± 1.7 µg/mg. GC-MS analysis identified key compounds in tomato leaves and root-stems, such as α-pinene, d-limonene, and linalool. The results suggest that tomato leaves have potential as effective bio-fumigants for controlling root-knot nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most commercially essential vegetable crops cultivated worldwide. In addition to the nutritional value, tomato is an excellent model for studying climacteric fruits' ripening processes. Despite this, the available natural pool of genes that allows expanding phenotypic diversity is limited, and the difficulties of crossing using classical selection methods when stacking traits increase proportionally with each additional feature. Modern methods of the genetic engineering of tomatoes have extensive potential applications, such as enhancing the expression of existing gene(s), integrating artificial and heterologous gene(s), pointing changes in target gene sequences while keeping allelic combinations characteristic of successful commercial varieties, and many others. However, it is necessary to understand the fundamental principles of the gene molecular regulation involved in tomato fruit ripening for its successful use in creating new varieties. Although the candidate genes mediate ripening have been identified, a complete picture of their relationship has yet to be formed. This review summarizes the latest (2017–2023) achievements related to studying the ripening processes of tomato fruits. This work attempts to systematize the results of various research articles and display the interaction pattern of genes regulating the process of tomato fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping crops with hyperaccumulators is a proven model for coupling crop safety production and soil heavy metal remediation. And both crop genotypes and soil properties might have great impacts on the effect of intercropping. Therefore, a greenhouse pot experiment was designed to investigate the effects of intercropping different tomato varieties with the cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii Hance (S. alfredii Hance) on different soils. The results showed that intercropping promoted Cd uptake by S. alfredii Hance and reduced soil total Cd concentration. There was no significant effect of intercropping on tomato yield and Cd concentration. Different tomato varieties had different effects on tomato yield and Cd concentration. The yield of cherry tomato was 1.04 times higher than that of common large fruit tomato, while the Cd concentration in all parts was lower than that of common large fruit tomato. Different typical zonal soils had different effects on tomato production and soil remediation. And among the four studied soils, tomatoes grown on ZJ soil had the highest yields and lowest fruit Cd concentration, making them more suitable for remediation coupled with safety production. This study provided a comprehensive analysis of tomato production benefits and soil remediation effects, which could be useful as a guide in vegetable safety production coupled with soil remediation practices in the Cd-contaminated greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a significant member of the Solanaceae family with substantial worldwide production. The nutritional content of vegetables affects their metabolic and quality characteristics positively or negatively in many aspects and is one of today's important research areas. In this study, grown tomato samples collected from fields and greenhouses in nine different cities of Türkiye were analysed for boron, calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and zinc concentrations using spectroscopy, compared with available studies in terms of fertilization/nutrient uptake status and it was decided whether there is a difference between tomato samples grown in the field and the greenhouse. The study revealed that there are differences between macro and microelement contents of the field and greenhousegrown tomatoes. Greenhouse tomatoes have greater nutritional element contents since they are protected from external effects and pesticides, growing in a healthy and nutritionally rich manner. The lowest and highest concentrations (mg kg-1 dry weight) of mineral elements were boron (18.13-28.30), calcium (1277-1836), copper (4.60-9.45), iron (18.86-27.33), potassium (20384-22305), magnesium (1870-2107), manganese (10.12-23.27), Sodium (119.65-209.11) and zinc (15.55-25.41). As a result, tomatoes produced in Türkiye for export to various countries were found to be containing adequate macronutrients according to the relevant literature except for potassium, and micronutrients contents were found to be within the safe limits. Also, considering the percentage of daily Recommended Dietary Allowance values it provides, it can be said that tomatoes are a good source of micronutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista U.D.C.A Actualidad & Divulgación Científica is the property of Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales U.D.C.A and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Agronomic biofortification of crops is a promising approach for the accumulation of Si in plant organs and can be achieved through the application of Si-containing fertilizers in the nutrient solution (NS) using a soilless technique. In the present research, a local variety of Cucumis melo L. called Carosello and two tomato hybrids, 'Alfa 200' (TA) and 'Versus' (TV), were cultivated in a floating system with three levels of Si (0, 50, and 100 mg·L−1) in the NS with the aim to study the Si translocation/accumulation in leaves, stems, and roots of these genotypes. In general, by adding Si to the NS, Si accumulation in plants increased. Regarding Si translocation, it was found that Carosello exhibited a better translocation capacity than tomato hybrids, and Si movement from roots to shoots was very much dependent on tomato genotypes. With the highest Si content in the NS, TA had a similar Si concentration in leaves and stems, while TV showed a greater Si concentration in leaves. In conclusion, Carosello landrace is confirmed as a good Si accumulator, while the tomato is confirmed as a species with low Si accumulation capacity. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of Si biofortification in tomatoes is very much dependent on the genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing problems of water and soil contamination with cadmium (Cd), it is necessary to investigate the genetic and physiological mechanisms of tolerance to this metal in different crops, which can be used for the development of effective crop management strategies. This study aimed to assess the potential of grafting as a strategy to increase Cd tolerance and reduce absorption in tomato by evaluating the contribution of the root system and aerial parts for tolerance mechanisms. To this end, reciprocal grafting and diallel analyses were used to examine the combining ability of contrasting tomato genotypes under exposure to 0 and 35 µM CdCl2. Roots and above-ground parts were found to have specific mechanisms of Cd tolerance, absorption, and accumulation. Grafting of the USP15 genotype (scion) on USP16 (rootstock) provided the greatest synergism, increasing the tolerance index and reducing the translocation index and Cd accumulation in leaves. USP163 exhibited potential for breeding programs that target genotypes with high Cd tolerance. In tomato, both Cd tolerance and accumulation in aerial parts are genotype- and tissue-specific, controlled by a complex system of complementary mechanisms that need to be better understood to support the development of strategies to reduce Cd contamination in aerial parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu (1300-0225) is the property of Anadolu Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Using microorganisms as biocontrol agents of phytopathogens has been an alternative to synthetic fungicides. Actinomycetes isolated from soil and plants have reduced diseases caused by phytopathogens; however, microorganisms from marine environments may be an option as biocontrol agents. The tomato crop possesses an important economic impact worldwide, being Mexico the main exporter. Several species of Fusarium cause damage to tomato crops and are controlled with synthetic fungicides. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of marine actinomycetes as biocontrol on Fusarium solani in tomato plants. Four strains of marine actinomycetes (A20, A19, A18, and A15) and one terrestrial actinomycete (ED48) were used. The actinomycetes strains used, produced siderophores. The greatest inhibition of mycelial growth of F. solani due to iron competition was obtained by strain A19 with 74.28%. Only two actinomycetes showed antifungal activity by VOCs (A19 and A18), strain A19 showed the highest antagonistic activity with PICR of 76.75%. Actinomycetes treatments showed significant differences with synthetic fungicide application in growth, disease severity (SE), and disease incidence (DI) variables. The application of marine actinomycete (A19) on plants infested with F. solani increased the levels of enzyme activity (SOD, POD, CAT, and PAL) versus plants in that only F. solani and distilled water (control) were applied. Actinomycetes of marine origin are an option as biocontrol agents for F. solani.

El uso de los coeficientes de cultivo (Kc) en el cultivo de tomate es determinante en la procucción del cultivo permitiendo hacer uso eficiente del recurso hídrico. Esta investigación evaluó el efecto de diferentes Kc en fase de establecimiento (0,1; 0,2 y 0,3) y floración-llenado (0,6; 0,8 y 1.1) sobre dos híbridos, Pietro F1 y Mateus 7370 en invernadero. El diseño experimental desarrollado fue BCA con arreglo en franjas divididas, donde los factores fueron los coeficientes Kc y los híbridos. La evaluación de las variables se realizó en etapa vegetativa y productiva. Los resultados mostraron un comportamiento similar entre los híbridos en la época de establecimiento, caso contrario a la fase de producción ,donde existieron diferencias estadísticas, para las variables número de frutos, peso de fruto y rendimiento, donde el híbrido Pietro, bajo el coeficiente Kc: 1,1 presentó mejores rendimientos y Mateus mejoró su producción, bajo el coeficiente Kc: 0,6.

The emergence of semi‐transparent solar panels offers opportunities for their application in greenhouses where the radiation is a critical issue. The light passing through these panels is often affected, leading to a decrease in certain wavelengths that could potentially impact plant growth and quality. To address this concern, this study is performed to investigate the growth and yield of tomato and broccoli plants cultivated under semi‐transparent photovoltaic solar panels compared to those grown under conventional greenhouse plastic. Their physiological and metabolic changes are also examined. A decrease in the yellow/green spectrum after installation of the solar panels is observed. In both plants, slight alterations are observed by solar panels, enhancing even the height of plants and fruit yield in case of tomato. However, both plants showed changes related to their photosynthetic activity and some metabolite concentration. Specifically, there are significant reductions in An (photosynthetic rate) and lower levels of trigonelline in plants grown under solar panels. These reductions may be attributed to the different radiation conditions experienced by the plants, which do not appear to directly impact plant growth. The obtained results highlight the promising potential of solar panel‐integrated greenhouses that optimize economic and energy benefits while maintaining product quality.

The availability of field experimental data plays a pivotal role in advancing agricultural research, particularly in the Mediterranean, where farmers face significant challenges due to water scarcity and changing climatic conditions. We present a multi-year homogenized dataset of agro-physiological traits collected on industrial tomatoes and focused on the effect of deficit irrigation (DI). The dataset has been compiled over nine years and comprises 100 experimental plots, where 32 DI strategies have been tested. Visual observations on tomato phenology and qualitative and quantitative production data have been collected in field and laboratory surveys, complemented with detailed information on pedo-climatic conditions and irrigation scheduling (timing and volume). Researchers can find in this dataset a rich source for calibrating and evaluating agro-physiological models and a reference basis to study the relationships between DI strategies, weather variability, and the performance of tomato growing systems. Agronomists from the public and private sectors can gain domain knowledge to support local farmers with the best DI strategies to achieve high yields while optimizing water use. Moreover, this dataset serves as ground truth for digital decision support systems, which need real-world data to enhance their accuracy in guiding farmers on efficient water use. This data source is intended to become a crucial asset for researchers, agronomists, and decision-makers in the Mediterranean as it bridges the gap between research and practice in an area where farmers are already striving with water scarcity for industrial tomato cultivation.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important crops that is extensively used in the food processing industry. During tomato processing, abundant by-products such as skins, pulps, seeds, and waste are generated and cause environmental burdens. To solve this problem, tomato pomace was subsequently used as a material for making tomato sauce. However, it is essential that the production of tomato ketchup meets the required standards. Therefore, it is important to analyze the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the product. We aimed to study the effect of corn starch addition on the physicochemical and sensory properties of tomato ketchup made from tomato waste and to assess the acceptability of tomato sauce formulated with different concentrations of corn starch. Tomato ketchup was cooked at 90°C for 15 min and then hot-filled into a sterile glass bottle. It was then analyzed for physical properties (color, viscosity, and total dissolved solids), chemical properties (pH, titratable acidity, moisture content), microbiological quality (total bacteria, mold, and yeast), and sensory acceptance. The results showed that corn starch influenced the color characteristics of the tomato sauce. Adding more than 4% of corn starch increased the viscosity and total solids content significantly (p < 0.05). Also, corn starch addition decreased the water content and acidity, as well as increased the pH of the tomato sauce. Microbiological analysis showed no growth of bacteria, mold, or yeast in any of the test samples. According to sensory analysis, the tomato sauce with 1% of corn starch had the highest acceptance, while higher concentrations of corn starch decreased the texture acceptance. Our findings may indicate that, with proper formulation, tomato by-products can be used as raw materials to develop sustainable alternative value-added products that consumers accept organoleptically. Further investigations can be conducted in the pilot-scale studies to enhance the feasibility of tomato pomace ketchup as a commercial product.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different Trichoderma spp. treatments (T1: Trichoderma harzianum, T2: Trichoderma brevicompactum, and T3: T1 + T2) on two tomato cultivars (‘Narvik’ and ‘Gružanski zlatni’) by the non-destructive monitoring of chlorophyll (Chl) and epidermal flavonol (Flav) indices and nitrogen balance index (NBI) in their leaves. The main objectives were to compare the responses of tomato cultivars considered (grown in a greenhouse) to different Trichoderma strains and a combination of Trichoderma strains. Variations in the Chl, Flav, and NBI values obtained were significantly influenced by nearly all the factors examined (namely the tomato cultivar, experimental week, and treatment), the interaction of which was found significant for all the parameters analyzed. The results obtained indicate that the combinations of strains in the T3 treatment markedly enhanced the Chl content in the ‘Narvik’ cultivar in some experimental weeks. Moreover, reduced NBI values were determined in the Trichoderma-treated ‘Narvik’ plants due to the increased flavonol content, which indicates a shift from primary to secondary metabolism. Further research, including the same cultivars and treatments, is warranted under field conditions to evaluate the physiological responses of the ‘Narvik’ and ‘Gružanski zlatni’ tomato cultivars in a multiple-stressor environment.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) had almost 190 million tonnes produced in 2021. Tomato fruit suffer losses of up to 50% during harvest and transport, which causes financial hardship, reduces the amount of food available and causes environmental harm. Calcium plays an important role in cell wall strength. This work assessed the use of a calcium transport stimulant (MCAS) to increase the firmness of tomato fruit in the laboratory and the foliar application to tomato plants. Then, handling damage was simulated. In the laboratory, the calcium with MCAS significantly increased the fruit firmness compared to the untreated and calcium without MCAS, which were not significantly different. When calcium with MCAS was applied to tomato plants foliarly before harvest, the calcium with MCAS-treated fruit were significantly firmer than the untreated or calcium without MCAS-treated fruit for up to 10 weeks after harvest, and this was achieved by applying only 0.91 kg ha−1 calcium. Finally, when fruit were exposed to a simulated drop, the calcium with MCAS-treated fruit remained firmer than the undamaged fruit or dropped fruit with calcium without MCAS. Calcium with MCAS could significantly increase the fruit firmness and increase the shelf-life of tomatoes while applying less calcium.

The pre-sowing treatment of seeds with an α static magnetic field has been reported in the literature as a means of enhancing plant development. In this work, we have designed, characterized, and constructed a setup for exposing small vegetable seeds to a static magnetic field. In a series of experiments, we have treated the seeds of vegetables that are important for the Mediterranean diet, i.e., tomato, lettuce, and salad rocket. The results show that tomato seedlings significantly benefit from a pre-sowing treatment with a magnetic flux density of 45 mT, for both an exposure time of 60 and 90 min compared to control, while the time of treatment that leads to improved growth is 90 min. In order to improve the growth of salad rocket seedlings the magnetic field had to be 150 mT, whereas the results for lettuce seeds were a bit inconsistent, i.e., it is not clear whether a lower (45 mT) or a higher (300 mT) magnetic flux density should be applied.

The water footprint is an increasingly demanded environmental sustainability indicator for certifications and labels in agricultural production. Processing tomatoes are highly water-intensive, and existing studies on water footprint have uncertainties and do not consider the impact of different irrigation configurations (e.g., surface drip irrigation (SDI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SSDI)) and irrigation strategies. This study presents a two-year experimental investigation to determine the water footprint of processing tomatoes grown in southern Spain (Andalusia) and the impact of SSDI and deficit irrigation. Five irrigation treatments were established: SDI1 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation), SDI2 (surface drip irrigation without water limitation adjusted by soil moisture readings), SSDI1 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 15 cm), SSDI2 (similar to SSDI1 but with mild/moderate water deficit during the fruit ripening stage), and SSDI3 (subsurface drip irrigation without water limitation and a dripline depth of 35 cm (first year) and 25 cm (second year)). Measurements included crop vegetative growth, leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange, nitrate concentration in soil solution, and crop yield and quality. The soil water balance components (actual evaporation, actual transpiration, deep drainage), necessary for determining the total crop water footprint, were simulated on a daily scale using Hydrus 2D software. Results indicated that SSDI makes more efficient use of irrigation water than SDI. The water footprint of SSDI1 was 20–35% lower than that of SDI1. SSDI2 showed similar water footprint values to SDI1 under highly demanding environmental conditions and significantly lower values (≈40%) in a year with lower evaporative demand. The dripline depth in SSDI was critical to the water footprint. With a 35 cm installation depth, SSDI3 had a significantly higher water footprint than the other treatments, while the values were similar to SSDI1 when the depth was reduced to 25 cm.

The efficient use of phosphate fertilizers and optimization of the amounts of irrigation water can maximize tomato growth and fruit production. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different phosphorus (P) doses and sources on the growth and production components of tomato plants of the cultivar Gaúcho Melhorado Nova Seleção subjected to different irrigation water percentages. To achieve this, we set up an experiment using a factorial design to test the effects of four doses of P2O5 (corresponding to 25%, 50%, 100%, and 200% of the recommended dose), two P sources (monoammonium phosphate—MAP and organomineral—OM), and four irrigation water percentages (50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% of field capacity). Tomato plant growth improved when water was supplied at a percentage close to 100% of field capacity, with increased plant height, leaf length, and number of flowers observed (increases of 11.95%, 7.33%, and 13.87%, respectively, compared to 50% of field capacity). However, both excess and deficit irrigation resulted in morphological changes in tomato plants. Additionally, we observed that OM was more effective than MAP in increasing plant diameter and number of flowers, with increases of up to 36.4% and 227.6%, respectively, when using OM. Conversely, tomato growth was negatively affected by higher doses of MAP doses, suggesting that 25% of the recommended dose may yield the best growth rates. We verified that tomato plants can compensate for low phosphorus doses by increasing productivity with higher water amounts (125%–42.40 t ha−1), but high phosphorus doses result in greater fruit production with lower water percentages (50%–41.52 t ha−1).