Recent trends in soil microbiology suggest that fungal inoculants such as Trichoderma harzianum or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have the potential to improve yield and fruit quality of crops. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of inoculating tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with T. harzianum and the AMF (Glomus mosseae) on yield and nutrient content of tomato fruit. A factorial experiment (3 × 3) with three application timings for each of T. harzianum and AMF, namely uninoculated control, inoculated before sowing and two weeks after sowing, giving nine treatment combinations was conducted in a greenhouse. Both T. harzianum and AMF increased total yield and marketable yield of tomato (P >0.05). Inoculating tomato with AMF before sowing significantly increased the percentage of extra-large fruit, while inoculation with T. harzianum two weeks after sowing lowered the Ca and Mg contents of tomato fruit. Trichoderma harzianum and AMF inoculation increased the lycopene content, but did not affect the antioxidant activity, total flavonoids or vitamin C of the tomato fruit. Results of this study suggested that T. harzianum and AMF have the potential to influence yield and nutrient content of tomato in a greenhouse.

The effect of nursery inoculation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with Trichoderma harzianum and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus mosseae on fungal root colonization, plant growth, yield and quality of field-grown tomato was investigated. The four treatments included T. harzianum, AMF, T. harzianum'AMF, and uninoculated control. At mid-harvest, 84 days after transplanting, no interactive effect of the fungi on the external mycelium growth was observed. Inoculation with AMF alone or in combination with T. harzianum increased dry shoot weight by 35% and 30%, respectively, during the first season, and by 30% and 21%, respectively, during the second growing season. Trichoderma harzianum increased the percentage of large fruit by 76% in 2008Á2009, whereas AMF increased the percentage of extra-large fruit by 44% in 2009Á2010. Similarly, AMF increased total soluble solids by 10%. Inoculated tomato seedlings with T. harzianum and/or AMF significantly increased early yield of tomato, by 10%, 65% and 70%, respectively, during 2008Á2009, and by 27%, 36% and 37%, respectively during the 2009Á2010 growing season. In conclusion, results of the study suggested that T. harzianum and AMF have the potential to improve growth, early yield and fruit quality of field-grown tomato.

No abstract