Abstract
Abstract Global tomato productivity is threatened by biotic and abiotic stressors. To support and guarantee an adequate yield of tomato crops, agricultural practices have been based on the intensive use of fertilisers with negative impacts on the environment. This study presents a simple and effective strategy of functional bioaugmentation, suitable for different varieties, to replace chemical fertilisation. A tailored microbial formula composed by eight indigenous strains (including the genera Delftia , Pseudomonas , Paenarthrobacter , Phyllobacterium , Bacillus , and Acinetobacter ) was developed as biofertilizer. Strains were selected from native soil for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) functions, and combined respecting the taxonomic composition of the original PGP heterotrophic community structure. The effect of the bio-fertilisation vs chemical fertilisation was tested in three successive field trials in the company greenhouse, with different tomato varieties ( Camone, Oblungo, Cherry ). When bio-fertilisation was applied only twice during the Camone ’s life cycle, tomato yield was significantly reduced (0.8 vs 2.1 kg per plant, p = 0.0003 ). However, monthly inoculation during plant growth led to a fruit yield comparable to that obtained with chemical fertilisers (about 1.5 kg per plant for Oblungo , and about 2 kg per plant for Cherry variety, p = 0.9999 ). Bio-fertilization did not significantly affect plant height; only during the last growing period of the Cherry variety, a significantly higher average plant height ( p < 0.0001 ) was observed with chemical fertiliser. The results indicate that a knowledge-based bacterial formula and monthly inoculation during the plant growth can be a successful bio-fertilisation strategy. These findings may pave the way towards more sustainable tomato production, since farming practices are becoming increasingly crucial, in accordance with Agenda 2030 and the UE “Farm to Fork” strategy. Graphical Abstract
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Bio-fertilisation applied only twice in the Camone life cycle significantly reduced tomato yield to 0.8 kg per plant versus 2.1 kg.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicumt0 - Material
- Camonee0
- Treatment
- bio-fertilisation was applied only twicee0
- Outcome
- tomato yielde0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 0.8 vs 2.1 kg per plante0
- Qualifier
- p = 0.0003e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e0“When bio-fertilisation was applied only twice during the Camone ’s life cycle, tomato yield was significantly reduced (0.8 vs 2.1 kg per plant, p = 0.0003 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Monthly bio-inoculation during growth gave tomato fruit yield comparable to chemical fertilisers in Oblungo, about 1.5 kg per plant.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Material
- Oblungoe1
- Treatment
- monthly inoculation during plant growthe1
- Outcome
- fruit yielde1
- Direction
- comparablee1
- Value
- about 1.5 kg per plante1
- Qualifier
- p = 0.9999e1
- Comparator
- chemical fertiliserse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e1“monthly inoculation during plant growth led to a fruit yield comparable to that obtained with chemical fertilisers (about 1.5 kg per plant for Oblungo , and about 2 kg per plant for Cherry variety, p = 0.9999 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Monthly bio-inoculation during growth gave tomato fruit yield comparable to chemical fertilisers in the Cherry variety, about 2 kg per plant.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Material
- Cherry varietye1
- Treatment
- monthly inoculation during plant growthe1
- Outcome
- fruit yielde1
- Direction
- comparablee1
- Value
- about 2 kg per plante1
- Qualifier
- p = 0.9999e1
- Comparator
- chemical fertiliserse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e1“monthly inoculation during plant growth led to a fruit yield comparable to that obtained with chemical fertilisers (about 1.5 kg per plant for Oblungo , and about 2 kg per plant for Cherry variety, p = 0.9999 )”
Claim · model-written summary
Bio-fertilisation did not significantly affect tomato plant height.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Bio-fertilizatione2
- Outcome
- plant heighte2
- Direction
- did not significantly affecte2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e2“Bio-fertilization did not significantly affect plant height”
Claim · model-written summary
Chemical fertiliser gave significantly higher average plant height in the last growing period of the Cherry variety.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Material
- Cherry varietye3
- Organ / stage
- last growing periode3
- Treatment
- chemical fertilisere3
- Outcome
- average plant heighte3
- Direction
- significantly highere3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e3“only during the last growing period of the Cherry variety, a significantly higher average plant height ( p < 0.0001 ) was observed with chemical fertiliser”
Claim · model-written summary
A knowledge-based bacterial formula with monthly inoculation can be a successful bio-fertilisation strategy for tomato.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- a knowledge-based bacterial formula and monthly inoculation during the plant growthe4
- Outcome
- successful bio-fertilisation strategye4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“tomato crop”
e4“a knowledge-based bacterial formula and monthly inoculation during the plant growth can be a successful bio-fertilisation strategy”
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