Use of Digestate and Mineral Fertilization on Yield, Carotenes, Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acids Concentration in Two Varieties of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28940/terralatinoamericana.v44i.2461Keywords:
antioxidants, nutraceutical quality, organo-mineral, plant pigments, horticultural productionAbstract
Tomato is one of the most widely consumed horticultural crops worldwide and is recognized for its content of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and organic acids that provide health benefits. Although mineral fertilizers are commonly used in tomato cultivation, their excessive application can lead to environmental problems. In this study, the ef fect of organic–mineral fertilization on yield and on the concentration of phenolic compounds and organic acids in the fruits of two saladette-type tomato varieties grown under greenhouse conditions was evaluated. An experiment was established using mixed fertilization with mineral fertilizer (M) and digestate (D) derived from the anaerobic digestion of manure. The following proportions were applied: 25% D + 75% M (D25M75), 50% D + 50% M (D50M50), and 75% D + 25% M (D75M25), in addition to treatments with 100% digestate (D100), 100% mineral fertilizer (M100), and an unfertilized control (T). The results showed that mineral fertilizer requirements can be reduced by 25% through mixed fertilization with digestate, since the D25M75 combination produced higher tomato yields than the treatment with mineral fertilizer alone. The application of digestate at dif ferent proportions increased total soluble solids and the fruit flavor index compared with treatments without digestate. Likewise, all digestate-based treatments increased the concentrations of gallic acid and caf feic acid in the fruits by 51.7–86.4% and 34.0–54.2%, respectively, compared with mineral fertilization. Furthermore, the ef fect of fertilization dif fered between varieties: in the Strongton variety, the highest fruit carotene content was obtained with D100, whereas in the King variety, the highest carotene content was observed with treatment D25M75. Finally, the results suggest that digestates a byproduct of the anaerobic digestion represent an ef ficient alternative for reducing the use of mineral fertilizers in tomato cultivation while increasing yield and the nutritional content of antioxidants and organic acids, thereby contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.
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