Abstract
Tomato quality is shaped by both pre-harvest growing conditions and post-harvest factors; however, these aspects are often studied independently. This study explored the extent to which pre-harvest melatonin treatment affects tomato yield, quality and shelf life in terms of firmness, organoleptic properties (total sugar content and acidity) and bioactive constituents, with a focus on antioxidants (lycopene and vitamins C and E). Melatonin-treated plants were slightly more productive (7.8%) and yielded fruit with greater firmness (9.5%) at harvest. When stored at room temperature, tomatoes reddened earlier and stayed firm longer than the controls, while maintaining antioxidant vitamin levels. Under cold storage, pre-harvest melatonin treatment favourably affected total phenolic content (21.7%) and total antioxidant capacity (58.2%) for one week. Overall, pre-harvest melatonin improved tomato yield and quality, with effects lasting up to one week under both storage regimes. These findings position melatonin as a promising biostimulant to enhance post-harvest tomato quality. • Pre-harvest melatonin treatment improved tomato yield and quality at harvest. • Tomatoes reddened earlier and kept firm longer than controls at room temperature. • Total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity were improved under cold storage. • Melatonin can be used as a biostimulant to improve crop yield and fruit quality.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Melatonin treated tomato plants were 7.8% more productive.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Melatonin-treated plants were slightly more productive (7.8%)”
t0“tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Melatonin treated tomato fruit had 9.5% greater firmness at harvest.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicumt0 - Organ / stage
- fruite0
- Treatment
- melatonint0
- Outcome
- firmnesse0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 9.5%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“yielded fruit with greater firmness (9.5%) at harvest”
t0“melatonin applications improve post-harvest quality of tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Melatonin treated tomatoes reddened earlier at room temperature than controls.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- melatonint0
- Outcome
- reddenede0
- Direction
- earliere0
- Comparator
- the controlse0
- Setting
- room temperaturee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“When stored at room temperature, tomatoes reddened earlier and stayed firm longer than the controls”
t0“melatonin applications improve post-harvest quality of tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Melatonin treated tomatoes stayed firm longer at room temperature than controls.
- Taxon
- tomatoesSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- melatonint0
- Outcome
- firme0
- Direction
- longere0
- Comparator
- the controlse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“tomatoes reddened earlier and stayed firm longer than the controls”
t0“melatonin applications improve post-harvest quality of tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Melatonin treated tomatoes maintained antioxidant vitamin levels at room temperature.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- melatonint0
- Outcome
- antioxidant vitamin levelse0
- Direction
- maintaininge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“while maintaining antioxidant vitamin levels”
t0“melatonin applications improve post-harvest quality of tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Under cold storage, preharvest melatonin favorably affected tomato total phenolic content by 21.7% for one week.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- pre-harvest melatonin treatmente0
- Outcome
- total phenolic contente0
- Direction
- favourably affectede0
- Value
- 21.7%e0
- Qualifier
- for one weeke0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pre-harvest melatonin treatment favourably affected total phenolic content (21.7%) and total antioxidant capacity (58.2%) for one week”
t0“tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Under cold storage, preharvest melatonin favorably affected tomato total antioxidant capacity by 58.2% for one week.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- pre-harvest melatonin treatmente0
- Outcome
- total antioxidant capacitye0
- Direction
- favourably affectede0
- Value
- 58.2%e0
- Qualifier
- for one weeke0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pre-harvest melatonin treatment favourably affected total phenolic content (21.7%) and total antioxidant capacity (58.2%) for one week”
t0“tomato fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose melatonin as a biostimulant for tomato yield and fruit quality.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Melatonine0
- Outcome
- improve crop yield and fruit qualitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Melatonin can be used as a biostimulant to improve crop yield and fruit quality”
t0“tomato fruits”
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See all 12 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.