Assessment of Biofertilizer and Silicon Nanoparticle Treatments on Plant Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Salinity Stress Tolerance in Tomato

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a vital vegetable that is particularly susceptible to high soil salinity levels, which adversely impact the development of the plant, uptake of nutrients, photosynthesis, and its productivity. Increasing frequency of salinized soils calls for a sustainable farming strategy to enhance performance of crops while minimizing the use of excessive amounts of chemical fertilizers. In this study, the objective is to test the effect of biofertilizer and silicon nanoparticle application separately and together on tomato growth and nutrient uptake under salinity stress. The uniqueness of the proposed research will be in testing the synergistic effect of microbial biofertilization and silicon nanotechnology technology in relation to plant physiological and nutrient responses to salinity. The experimental design will be the use of pots with various treatment combinations that include: control, biofertilizer alone, silicon nanoparticles alone, salinity stress alone, and biofertilizer-silicon nanoparticle treatment combinations. Parameters of growth including height of the plant, root length, leaf area, fresh weight, and dry biomass will be determined. Nutrient absorption will be analyzed in terms of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium levels, whereas the presence of chlorophyll, relative water content, proline, and antioxidant enzymes will be investigated to determine stress tolerance capacity. Observations obtained will be statistically analyzed via analysis of variance and appropriate post-hoc test. It is anticipated that this study will show that treatments together increase the nutrient levels, maintain physiological balance, and minimize negative impacts of salt stress. This research may provide an ecologically sustainable approach for growing tomatoes in saline-affected soils.