Synergistic effect of indigenous endophytes to boost nutritional content, quality traits and yield in tomato

Tomato productivity and fruit quality are often constrained by low nutrient availability and reliance on chemical fertilizers. The present study aimed to provide sustainable alternatives to chemicals by evaluating the potential of indigenous endophytic bacterial isolates of plants grown in sandy loam soils of semi-arid region, Haryana, India to enhance tomato growth and yield. Out of twenty isolates, Bacillus cereus L6, Bacillus cereus S4, and Alcaligenes faecalis TMG-5, exhibited the maximum production of Indole-3- Acetic acid, siderophore, ammonia and phosphate solubilisation. B. cereus L6 treatment enhanced seed germination (16.5%), radicle length (83.9%), plumule length (67.8%) and vigor index versus chemical fertilizer control in-vitro conditions. A consortium of B. cereus L6, B. cereus S4, and A. faecalis TMG-5 increased root length (49.0%), plant height (25.0%), stem girth (9.0%), leaf area (25.0%), relative water content (26.0%) and fruit yield (33.0%) versus chemical fertilizer control under pot experiment. The bacterial treatment increased the quality traits of tomato, including β-carotene (24%), chlorophyll content (34%), ascorbic acid (15.7%), firmness (21%), and total soluble solids (14%) that leads to increase the shelf life of tomato. The bacterial consortium significantly improved root fresh weight (63.0%), root dry weight (57.0%), shoot fresh weight (56.0%), shoot dry weight (36.0%) and soil dehydrogenase activity at mid (27.0%) and harvest stage (39.0%). The employment of indigenous endophytic bacteria having plant growth promoting traits synergistically increased tomato yield, quality and nutritional content. The single time application of such biofertilizers is an economic and user-friendly approach and caters to Sustainable Development Goals.