Abstract
There is an urgent need to address the problems of food safety in sustainable agricultural production. Food safety has been recognized as a serious public health concern across the world. Bio-stimulants are emerging plant growth regulators enhancing root growth, nutrient uptake and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The use of bio-stimulants in agricultural inputs has been tested for diverse plant species. Therefore, the current study was carried out to determine the influence of some promising bio-stimulants on the growth parameters and peroxidase activity of tomato cultivar Castle Rock. Seven treatments were chosen including the application of compost tea (through the soil and foliar application), amino acid, ascorbic acid and dry yeast extract (@ 2 and 4 g L-1) as well as the control. Data were recorded for six weeks after sowing until seedlings reached the height for the field transplantation. Plant growth measurements (e.g., plant height, fresh and dry root and shoot weights, stem diameter, the number of leaves and leaf area), chlorophyll content were monitored during both seasons. Besides the aforementioned parameters, peroxidase activity was measured and plant tissues were analyzed for N, P and K contents. Among the designated treatments, the foliar application of 2 g L-1 dry yeast and compost tea treatments recorded the best growth parameters of tomato seedlings. Similarly, the bio-stimulants significantly affected the N, P and K contents of plant tissues. The peroxidase activity was significantly affected by the application of 200 mg L-1 amino acid. Overall, the results suggested that the foliar application of dry yeast extract and compost tea are advantageous for the production of safe and healthy tomato production.