Value-added organic fertilizer with salicylic acid and naphthyl acetic acid improves the tomato quality and productivity in saline-sodic conditions

Abstract

Edaphic factors, especially soil salinity, are a more significant challenge to food security irrespective of introducing technical innovations in agriculture. Saline-sodic soils continue to deteriorate the yield of a crop, causing a severe risk to worldwide food production. A field study was conducted in Vehari district, Pakistan, in already prevailing saline-sodic soils to evaluate tomato yield and quality by applying naphthyl acetic acid (NAA) and salicylic acid (SA) as their sole applications and in combination with organic fertilizers in saline-sodic conditions. NAA (@ 200mg L-1) and SA (@ 0.50 mM) were applied solely through a foliar spray. Additionally, NAA and SA were value-added in organic fertilizers. Maximum tomato growth and yield were noticed with combined NAA and SA application to organic fertilizer that can be seen in tomato quality parameters, like lycopene, beta carotene, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids. Conclusively, our research work offers an insightful practice of the value-addition of NAA or SA onto organic fertilizer that can enhance tomato productivity, and quality grown under saline-sodic soils.