Assessing the effect of P-solubilizing bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi on tomato yield and quality under different crop rotations

Little is known about the effects of inoculation with beneficial microorganisms under diversified crop rotations on agronomic performance of the high-value vegetable crop tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the interactive effect of crop precession with two native species, faba bean (Leguminosae) and barley (Graminaceae), and inoculations with commercial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and phosphate solubilizing Streptomyces roseocinereus MS1B15 on tomato plant growth, yield, fruit quality and the contents of various mineral nutrients. The overall results revealed that crop inoculation with S. roseocinereus MS1B15 significantly increased tomato growth and yield while crop precession showed no differences among tested treatments. Plant nutrient assimilation was significantly increased by both inoculations and was differentially modulated under faba bean and barley rotations. Furthermore, fruit quality demonstrated significant variations between treatments: whereas the inoculations significantly increased tomato vitamin C, crop rotations increased antioxidant compounds and organic acids. Overall, faba bean rotation combined with S. roseocinereus MS1B15 inoculation showed the best benefits for tomato plants, increasing most of the biometric variables evaluated in this study. Such combinations could be recommended as a sustainable and feasible model for tomato production.