Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Antioxidant compounds and minerals in tomatoes by Trichodermaenriched biofertilizer and their relationship with the soil
environments
Md. Yeakub Khan1*, Md. Manjurul Haque1*, Abul Hossain Molla1, Md. Mizanur Rahman2, Mohammad
Zahangeer Alam1
1

Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman Agricultural University,
Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh
2
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706,
Bangladesh

Abstract
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) on antioxidants
and minerals in ripe tomatoes and soil health improvements in terms of nutrient availability and microbial populations. The
study was comprised of six treatments: control (zero input); recommended doses of NPK; 100% BioF/compost; 75% BioF/
compost+25% N; 50% BioF/compost+50% N; and 25% BioF/compost+75% N. The recommended doses of P and K were
used in the last three treatments. It was found that the application of 100% BioF/compost enhanced plant growth, leaf
greenness, and produced 12.9% higher yield compared to the recommended doses of NPK and other treatments. Mineral
contents (P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) in tomato roots, shoots and fruits and antioxidant compounds i.e., ascorbic
acid, -carotine, and lycopene were increased significantly in fruits fertilized with 100% BioF/compost. The high efficiency
of Trichoderma compost might be the result of its potential of nutrient solubilization and harboring soil microorganisms.
Collectively, BioF/compost increased soil fertility and favored growth of microbes in the rhizosphere which ultimately contributed to higher yield, antioxidant, and mineral concentrations in tomatoes. Thus, Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer may
reduce application of chemical fertilizers and therefore, can be considered as a noble practice in sustainable agriculture.
Keywords: Trichoderma harzianum T22, minerals,.antioxidants, nutrient availability, microbial populations

1. Introduction

Received 11 December, 2016 Accepted 24 March, 2016

Corrspondence Md. Manjurul Haque, E-mail: haque_bes@
bsmrau.edu.bd, haque59@hotmail.com; Tel: +88-02-9205310-14
Extn. 2210; Fax: +88-02-9205333
*
These authors contributed equally to this study.
2016, CAAS. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
doi: 10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61350-3

The application of chemical fertilizer is the accepted method of intensive agriculture despite the apprehension of
environmental pollution. Movement of nitrogen (N) and
phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields to surface water
may cause eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems, leading
to anoxic areas called dead zones (Simpson et al. 2011).
Application of P fertilizers can also introduce cadmium into
the soil and, thereby, to the crops (Rembiakowska 2007).

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Nitrogen fertilizer, on the other hand is linked to leaching

of nitrates into ground water. In the digestive system of
human, nitrate is readily converted into nitrites, which can
further react with amines and amides to produce N-nitroso
compounds that are often associated with fatal methemoglobinemia (Chan 2011). Microbial denitrification of nitrate
nitrogen contributes to ozone layer depletion, global warming, and acid rain production (Galloway et al. 2003; Ma et al.
2007; Burger and Ventera 2011). Furthermore, N fertilizers
favor microbial decomposition of organic matter. This
causes depletion of soil organic carbon (Khan et al. 2007)
and results in poor quality of products (Dumas et al. 2003).
Organic farming, which strictly limits the use of chemical fertilizers, provides an alternative that minimizes the negative
effects of chemical fertilization (Aguilera et al. 2013; Aires
et al. 2013). Unfortunately, organic farming almost always
means a lower yield, increasing the cost of production.
Integrated nutrient management systems do not aim to
entirely remove chemical fertilizers but suggest the use of
microbial inoculants or biofertilizers (products containing
living cells of microorganisms), or plant growth promoting
microbes (PGPM), to reduce the amount of the chemical
fertilizers applied (Adesemoye and Kloepper 2009).
Among PGPM, Trichoderma species are filamentous
fungus widely used as biopesticides (Harman 2006). In
recent years, they have become popular as a plant growth
promoter (Haque et al. 2010; Kaveh et al. 2011, Hermosa
et al. 2012; Cai et al. 2015). T. hazianum strain T203 was
shown to increase the concentrations of P, Fe, Mn, Cu,
Zn, and Na in cucumber roots grown in hydroponic system
(Yedidia et al. 2001), whereas T. asperellum strain T34 was
shown to decrease the concentrations of Cu, Zn and Mn in
aerial part of wheat plants grown in a ferrihydrite-enriched
calcareous medium (Santiago et al. 2011). Recently, Li et al.
(2015) inoculated tomato seedlings with a T. harzianum
strain SQR-T037 using hydroponic system with a nutrient
solution deficient in P, Fe, Cu or Zn and supplemented with
their corresponding solid minerals. In Cu-deficient condition,
both dry matter production and Cu uptake were increased,
whereas in Fe, Zn and P-deficient conditions, the biomass
produced was decreased. However, macro and microelements in tomato plants by inoculation with Trichoderma yet
to be quantified under field condition.
Trichoderma spp. was also shown to increase the yield of
various crops under field condition (Srivastava et al. 2006;
Haque et al. 2010; Banayo et al. 2012; Molla et al. 2012;
Sharma et al. 2012; Abudulai et al. 2014). Bio-organic fertilizer (enriched with T. harzianum strain SQR-T037) coupled
with 75% chemical fertilizer was shown to have produced
tomato yields equivalent to those obtained using the 100%
chemical fertilizers (Cai et al. 2015). However, impacts of
100% bio-organic fertilizer on yield was not reported in the

literature (Cai et al. 2015). We previously demonstrated

that 50% Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost,
press mud of sugar mills, poultry liter, cowdung and household/kitchen wastes composted with T. harzianum T22)
coupled with 50% NPK had produced 11.87% higher yield
than the recommended dose of NPK in tomato (cv. BARI
tomato 14). However, sole application of BioF/compost
produced 30.08% lower yield than that under the recommended dose of NPK although BioF/compost was used as
recommended by the manufacturer (Molla et al. 2012). It
is therefore important that this area research be investigated in detail based on the integrated plant nutrition system
(IPNS). This paper reports the results of an experiment
carried out to quantify the appropriate rate of application
of BioF/compost. The research question therefore, is what
doses of BioF/compost (Trichoderma-enriched) should be
used, exclusively or in combination with NPK, so that the
yield and quality of tomato is not jeopardized.
Tomatoes are excellent source of micronutrients, certain
minerals (notably potassium), carboxylic acids (Caputo et al.
2004), antioxidants such as lycopene, -carotene, lutein,
phytoene, phytofluene, vitamin C and E (Hernandez-Suarez
et al. 2007; Nour et al. 2013), phenolic compounds (Hernandez and Suarez et al. 2007; Ray et al. 2011), vitamins,
and trace elements (Luthria et al. 2010; Molla et al. 2012)
but low in fat and calories, as well as being cholesterol-free. Consumption of tomato and tomato products has
been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
and certain types of cancer (Canene-Adams et al. 2005).
However, minerals and phytochemical contents in tomato
fruits are dramatically affected by the environmental factors
such as temperature, light, and agronomic options such as
variety, water availability, mineral nutrients, growth and development regulators, harvesting time and etc (Dumas et al.
2003; Hernandez and Suarez et al. 2007; Nour et al. 2013).
Therefore, the objectives of the study were to evaluate the
effect of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost)
on the antioxidant and mineral content of tomato fruits. This
research also aims to quantify and establish relationship
amongst the plant growth attributes and the biochemical
contents of fruits, roots and shoots. In addition, the effect
of BioF/compost on the soil health i.e., nutrient availability
and microbial populations were also examined so as to
understand if the biofertilizers could partially substitute the
need of N fertilizers.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Description of the experimental site
The experiment was conducted during October 2014 to
March 2015 at the research field of the Department of Envi-

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

ronmental Science of Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman

Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur, Bangladesh.
The global positioning system (GPS) of experimental site
was at 24.09N latitude and 90.26E longitude with an elevation of 8.4 m above the mean sea level. The soil of the
study area is Salna silty clay loam in the agro-ecological
zone of Madhupur Tract of Bangladesh which falls under the
order of Inceptisols according to USDA soil classification.

2.2. Growing of seedlings and management of crop

Seeds of tomato (cv. BARI tomato 15) were collected from
Horticulture Research Centre of Bangladesh Agricultural
Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. Seedlings
were grown in a seedbed (2.5 m5.0 m). Before sowing of
seeds in the seedbed, seeds were soaked with sterilized
distilled water overnight. After sowing, seeds were covered
with light soil. In order to protect the seedlings from heavy
rainfall and excessive fog, seedbed was covered with polythene sheet supported by the bamboo sticks. The land was
prepared properly then made into blocks (2.5 m2.0 m).
25-day-old healthy seedlings with almost same stem height
(2022 cm) were transplanted on 17 November 2014 as
one seedling per pit in plots. The spacing was 50 cm 50
cm. The intercultural operations were done as per standard
management practices.

2.3. Collection and assessment of the quality of the

Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer
Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) manufactured by Natore Development Society (NDS) and M/S
RASH Agro Enterprise, Natore, Bangladesh was collected
and used for this study. According to the manufacturer,
BioF/compost was prepared from press mud of sugar
mills, poultry liter, cowdung and household/kitchen wastes
composted with T. harzianum T22. In order to judge the
quality of the BioF/compost, we determined the pH, organic
matter content, total N, available P and exchangeable K
in the laboratory (Table 1). We also quantified microbial
populations such as total number of fungi (spores g1) and
number of colony forming unit (CFU) of bacteria (g1) in
BioF/compost (Table 1).

2.4. Experimental design and treatments

The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete
block design using six treatments with five replications.
The treatments were: T1, control (without NPK and BioF/
compost); T2, recommended dose of NPK; T3, 100% BioF/
compost; T4, 75% BioF/compost+25% N; T5, 50% BioF/
compost+50% N; and T6, 25% BioF/compost+75% N. The

Table 1 Physiochemical characteristics of experimental plot

soil and biofertilizer
Physical characteristics
Textural class
Bulk density (g cm3)
Particle density (g cm3)
Porosity (%)
Chemical characteristics
pH
Organic matter (g kg1)
Total N (g kg1)
Available P (mg kg1)
Exchangeable K (c-mol kg1 )
Microbial populations
Trichoderma harzianum
Fungi (spores g1)
Bacteria (colony forming unit g1)

Soil

Biofertilizer

Silty clay loam

to clay loam
1.33
2.61
46.9

6.20
11.40
0.89
5.37
0.30

5.78
78.00
13.60
7.9
0.42

0.83105
2.23109

Not yet done.

recommended doses of P and K were also used in the

treatments T4, T5 and T6.

2.5. Requirement and application of NPK and BioF/

compost
For high yield goal of tomato (cv. BARI tomato 15), the
required amount of NPK (as source of urea, triple super
phosphate (TSP) and muriate of potash (MOP), respectively)) and BioF/compost (press mud of sugar mills, poultry
liter, cowdung and household/kitchen wastes composted
with T. harzianum T22) was settled based on the following
model (BARC 2012).
Fr=Uf

Ci
(StLs)
Cs

Where, Fr is fertilizer nutrient required for a given soil

test value (kg ha1), Uf is upper limit of the recommended
fertilizer nutrient for the respective soil test value interpretation (STVI) class (Table 2), Ciis unit of class intervals used
for fertilizer nutrient recommendation, Cs is unit of class
intervals used for STVI class (Table 2), St is test value of
experimental plot soils (Table 1), Ls is lower limit of the soil
test value within the STVI class (Table 2). Using the data
given in the table 1 (soil test value) and table 2 (STVI class
and nutrient recommendation), a calculation procedure is
shown used to get the recommended N for tomato.
Fr=180

45
(0.0890)=135.5
0.09

Using the data given in the Table 1 and Table 2, required

amounts of urea, TSP, MP, and BioF/compost for a 5-m2 plot
were 147.3, 114, 43.25 and 5 027 g, respectively. The full
dose of TSP, MP and BioF/compost were applied during
the final plot preparation. Urea was applied in three equal

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Table 2 Soil test interpretation (STVI) class and the respective recommended fertilizer nutrients for tomato (BARC 2012)
STVI Class
Very low
Low
Medium
Optimum
High
Very high

Total N (%)
00.09
0.091018
0.1810.27
0.2710.36
0.3610.45
>0.45

Limit of the soil test value within the

STVI class
Available P (mg kg1) Exchangeable K (c-mol kg1)
<7.5
<0.09
7.5115.0
0.091
15.122.5
0.1810.27
22.5130
0.2710.36
30.137.5
0.3610.45
>37.5
>0.45

splits: final plot preparation, 21 and 42 days after transplanting (DAT).

2.6. Vegetative growth, dry matter production and

yield
Data was collected from six randomly selected plants from
each plot in such a way that the border effect was avoided for
high precision. Plant height, number of leaves and branches
per plant, shoot, and root dry matter (oven dried at 70 C
until constant weight achieved) weights (g) of plant were
determined at 50% flowering stage. Ripe tomatoes were
harvested at 35 days intervals, weighed, and expressed
in kg plant1.

2.7. Chlorophyll content in leaves

A Minolta SPAD-502 Meter (Minolta, Japan) was used to
determine the total chlorophyll content in leaves. SPAD
readings were taken from three apical leaflets of the youngest fully expanded leaf at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 DAT,
respectively. Three readings were taken in each leaf. The
results were expressed as SPAD units.
Total chlorophyll content was also measured from the
fully expanded uppermost three leaves at 80 DAT by spectrophotometer as described by Witham et al. (1986) with
few modifications: in brief, 20 mg of leaves were taken in a
small vial containing 20 mL of 80% acetone then covered
with aluminum foil and incubated at room temperature for
48 hrs under dark conditions. After centrifugation, chlorophyll contents were estimated by visible spectrophotometer
(Model-723N, Japan) and the result was expressed as
mg g1. The formula for computing chlorophyll a, b, and
carotinoids were:
Chlorophyll a=(12.7 (D663)2.69 (D645))(V/1000W)
Chlorophyll b=(22.9 (D645)4.68 (D663))(V/1000W)
Carotinoids=(1000(D470)2.270Chl.a81.4 Chl.b)/227
Where, D (663, 645) is optical density of the chlorophyll extract
at wave length are 663 and 645 nm; V is final volume (ml)
of 80% acetone with chlorophyll extract; W is weight of the

Nutrient recommendation of the respective

STVI class (kg ha1)
N
P
K
136180
4660
76100
91135
3145
5175
4690
1630
2650
045
015
025

fresh leaf sample in g.

2.8. Determination of mineral contents in roots and

shoots of tomato plants
To determine the concentration of minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg,
Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn) in roots and shoots, two plants from
each replication were uprooted carefully after 60 DAT, then
washed with water. Harvested plants were air dried in the
laboratory at room temperature. After 72 h, roots and shoots
were separated, then oven-dried at 70C until constant
weight was achieved. Dry matter was pooled (roots and
shoots separately), ground and digested with concentrated
HNO3-H2O2 using the methods described by Yedidia et al.
(2001). The digests were used to determine the mineral
contents as the methods described by Piper (1966) using
atomic adsorption spectrophotometer (Model no. 170-30,
Hitachi, Japan).

2.9. TSS, protein, sugar, antioxidants and mineral

contents in ripe fruits
Total soluble solid (TSS) was determined using hand refractometer immediately after harvesting the ripe fruits. Crude
protein was quantified as described by Lowry et al. (1951).
Sugar and antioxidants (ascorbic acid, lycopene and -carotene) were determined immediately after harvesting the ripe
fruits. Sugar and ascorbic acid contents were determined
following the methods described by Somogyi (1952) and
Mukherjee and Choudhury (1983), respectively. Lycopene
and -carotene were quantified by spectrophotometer
(Model 20020, Hitachi, Japan) as described by Nagata
et al. (1992). To determine mineral content (P, K, Ca, Mg,
Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn) of the ripe fruit, fruits were sliced and
then air-dried at room temperature aseptically for 3 days.
The air-dried sample was oven dried at 70C, and then the
oven dried sample (0.25 g) was digested with nitric acid:
perchloric acid (5:1) mixture for 2 h. The digests were used
to determine the mineral contents as the methods described
by Piper (1966) using atomic adsorption spectrophotometer

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

(Model no. 170-30, Hitachi, Japan).

2.10. Soil chemical analysis

Before land preparation, initial soil samples were collected
from different plots using a soil auger to a depth of 15 cm.
Collected samples were mixed together to get a composite
sample, and from the composite sample a working sample
of about 250 g was taken following the guidelines of BARC
(2012). Phyico-chemical characteristics of soil in the experimental plots are shown in Table 1. Then, after harvesting
of the tomatoes, soil samples were collected from each plot.
After removal of all debris, the soil sample was made ready
by treatment wise and the soil was labeled as post soil. The
soil was air dried at room temperature in the laboratory. The
soil pH was determined by glass electrode pH meter with a
soil water ratio 1:2.5 (Jackson 1973). Organic matter of the
soil was quantified by Walkley-Black method (Nelson and
Sommers 1982). Total N (%) was determined by Kjeldhal
systems (Jackson 1973). Available P was determined
by Olsen method, the Bray and Kurz method (Olsen and
Sommers 1982). Exchangeable K was estimated by ammonium acetate extraction method (Jackson 1973). Zinc was
determined by the DTPA extraction method (Lindsay and
Norvell 1978) using atomic adsorption spectrophotometer
(Model no. 170-30, Hitachi, Japan).

2.11. Microbial populations in rhizosphere soils

Two plants from each replication were uprooted carefully
with a mass of soil at 60 DAT. Each plant was shaken gently
to separate soil not tightly adhering to the roots, and the soil
still adhering to the roots was considered the rhizosphere
soil as described by Hervs et al. (1998). After removing
all debris, 10 g of soil was placed in an Erlenmeyer flask
and then 100 mL sterilized distilled water was added. The
flasks were incubated for 2 hrs at room temperature with
shaking (180 r min-1) then serially diluted. In order to quantify
the fungi, 50 L of diluted soil suspensions were spread on
solid Rose Bengal Agar medium (1 g of KH2PO4, 0.5 g of
MgSO4.7H2O, 5 g of peptone, 10 g of dextrose, 0.35 g of
Rose Bengal and 10 g of agar, pH 5.4). The plates were incubated at 28C for one week and then counted. To quantify
bacteria, 50 L of diluted soil suspensions were spread on
solid yeast extract peptone medium (1% of peptone, 0.5% of
yeast extract, and 1.5 % of agar, pH 6.8). The plates were
incubated at 28C for 48 h and then the colony forming unit
(CFU) count was taken.

2.12. Statistical analysis

Analysis of variance and comparison of means were cal-

culated separately with statistical package MSTAT-C. The

means were compared by using the least significance
difference (LSD) test. Furthermore, a pair wise correlation
analysis based on the Pearson correlation coefficient was
done with SPSS ver. 16.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA)
to relate availability of nutrients and microbial populations
(fungi and bacteria) with yield, minerals, and antioxidants
in ripe tomatoes.

3. Results
3.1. Plant growth and yield
Treatments comprising BioF/compost and inorganic fertilizers showed significant effects on yield and yield contributing characters of tomato (Table 3). Number of leaves
plant1 (115.89) was found significantly higher (P0.05)
in 100% BioF/compost treatment compared to the 100%
recommended doses of NPK treatment, while plant height,
number of branches plant1 and dry matter weight (root and
shoot) plant1 and fruit yield of tomato plant1 were found
statistically similar in these two treatments (Table 3). It
was assumed that the increment of root biomass enabled
plants to explore in a greater volume of soil for nutrient
acquisition and amplified the plants ability for nutrients
uptake resulting in higher growth. Sole application of BioF/
compost, 75% BioF/compost coupled with 25% N and 50%
BioF/compost along with 50% N gave 12.9, 1.9 and 2.59%
higher yields, respectively over the recommended doses of
NPK, while 25% BioF/compost plus 75% N caused 15.8%
decrease in yield compared to the recommended fertilizer
treatment (Table 3). This implied that BioF/compost alone
could be a supplementary strategy for increasing yield and
for reducing the fertilizer pollution. Our pair wise correlation
analysis based on Pearson correlation coefficient revealed
that yield of tomato is positively and significantly correlated with the number of branches (0.900**; P0.01), leaves
(0.701*; (P0.05), roots (0.684*), and shoots (0.762**) dry
weight plant1.

3.2. Leaf greenness

Chlorophyll content of leaves showed an increasing trend
from vegetative to flowering stage, reaching a peak value
at 60 DAT, thereafter declining (Fig. 1-A). At 40 and 50
DAT, chlorophyll content did not differ significantly among
the treatments. At 60 DAT, the treatments T2 and T3 offered
significantly (P0.05) higher chlorophyll content compared
to the other treatments. Interestingly, at 70 and 80 DAT,
significantly higher chlorophyll was recorded in T3 treatment. Lower chlorophyll content in T3 treatment at 30, 40,
and 50 DAT may be due to slow release of nutrients from

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Table 3 Growth and yield of tomato by Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) alone or in combination with reduced
rates of nitrogen
Treatments1)
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
CV (%)

Plant height (cm) Branches (No. plant1)

117.932.17 b
137.531.75 a
128.670.65 ab
131.332.4 ab
126.931.87 ab
123.602.48 ab
5.05

10.930.07 d
18.730.62 abc
20.530.25 a
20.070.16 ab
17.400.29 bc
15.731.02 c
9.69

Dry matter weight (g plant1)

Root
Shoot
7.060.4 c
73.246.4 b
9.130.16 ab
117.210.92 a
10.410.11 a
119.762.34 a
7.870.21 bc
89.915.49 b
7.770.28 c
81.293.42 b
7.580.05 c
88.312.96 b
8.70
1.31

Leaves (No.
plant1)
67.111.17 d
94.890.36 b
115.890.77 a
92.003.5 bc
86.110.97 bc
80.222.35 c
8.05

Yield (kg plant1)

1.860.03 d
3.090.08 b
3.490.02 a
3.150.12 b
3.170.03 b
2.60.04 c
3.83

1)

T1, control, without BioF/compost and NPK; T2, recommended dose of NPK; T3, 100% BioF/compost; T4, 75% BioF/compost+25% N;
T5, 50% BioF/compost+50% N; T6, 25% BioF/compost+75% N.
Data are meansstandard error. Different letters in column imply significant difference at P0.05.
The same as below.
A

60

SPAD value

55
50
45
40

T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

35
30

40

50

60

70

80

DAT
B
12
10

Chlorophyll a
Chlorophyll b
b
Carotinoid

a
ab

b
mg g1

ab

ab

ab
c

ab

a
abc

4
bc
c

2
0
T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

Treatments

Fig. 1 Chlorophyll content of tomato leaves. A, measurement of chlorophyll content by single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)
meter at different days after transplanting (DAT). B, chlorophyll contents determined biochemically at 80 DAT. T1, control, without
BioF/compost and NPK; T2, recommended dose of NPK; T3, 100% BioF/compost; T4, 75% BioF/compost+25% N; T5, 50% BioF/
compost+50% N; T6, 25% BioF/compost+75% N. Error bar indicates standard error. Different letters in column imply significant
difference at P0.05.

the biofertilizer. Conversely, chemical fertilizer might have

been instantly supplying adequate amounts of nitrogen

ions to increase the chlorophyll content at 30, 40 and 50

DAT. We also estimated leaf chlorophyll (chlorophyll a,

49.660.12 f
49.81.03 c
56.310.24 c
54.600.26 ab
62.260.14 a
56.960.161 a
60.100.24 b
51.510.20 bc
62.190.07a
49.520.19 c
51.520.19 e
48.570.18 c
0.74
3.26
22.850.05 a
27.720.11 b
27.650.17 a
29.080.212 a
23.140.19 a
29.910.18 a
22.010.16 a
23.820.07c
24.150.07 a
27.030.02 b
25.510.17 a
24.690.28 c
10.16
1.63

Mn

Fe
(mg kg1)
36.850.2 e
195.850.22 f
38.950.02 bc
202.940.02 d
39.500.31 c
215.300.35 c
41.980.008 a
221.440.23 b
43.600.2 a
235.850.3 a
42.290.08 a
237.630.15 a
38.360.38 d
234.300.18 a
37.990.004 d
214.780.08 c
41.700.37 b
199.450.2 e
38.750.1 c
237.320.13 a
33.700.33 f
207.850.08 d
39.300.12 b
202.180.33 d
0.74
0.34
0.45
0.73
0.390.01 e
0.470.01 c
0.650.01 d
0.730.008 b
0.780.01 b
0.850.002 a
0.700.01 cd
0.710.006 b
0.730.01 c
0.790.006 a
0.900.01 a
0.730.002 b
2.61
3.01
CV (%)

T6

T5

T4

T3

T2

1)

9.540.09 c
9.350.4 d
12.860.18 a
12.810.06 a
12.300.20 a
11.510.16 b
12.760.14 a
10.530.16 c
10.050.03 c
8.720.18 d
10.420.17 bc
11.060.05 bc
6.89
2.38
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots
Roots
Shoots

Roots and shoots were considered separately for treatment comparison.

1.140.01 d
1.340.05 b
2.110.004 a
2.160.008 a
2.070.05 a
2.250.008 a
1.650.02 b
2.060.05 a
1.140.004 d
2.230.02 a
1.070.002 e
2.140.05 a
0.75
7.92
4.210.08 d
3.980.01 d
4.510.01 b
4.250.05 c
5.010.04 a
4.610.008 a
4.000.01 f
3.900.008 e
5.050.01 a
4.240.008 c
4.170.06 e
4.350.004 b
0.23
0.55

Ca

Mg

Cu

T1

TSS did not differ significantly among the treatments (Table 5). As expected, protein (17.17%) content was significantly (P0.05) higher in T2 treatment, followed by T6, T3, T4
and T5 (Table 5). Total sugar content was decreased in T2
treatment (38.9 g kg1) compared to the T3 treatment (40.8 g
kg1). Ascorbic acid content (122.3 mg kg1) was significantly
(P0.05) higher in ripe tomato fruits fertilized with 100%
BioF/compost, followed by plants receiving the recommended doses of NPK (110.79 mg kg1). -carotene, a precursor
of vitamin A, was also found significantly (P0.05) higher
in T3 treatment (1.10 mg kg1), followed by treatments T1
(0.60 mg kg1) and T5 (0.60 mg kg1). However, the lowest
-carotene (0.20 mg kg1) was detected in treatments T2,
T4 and T6 (Table 5). The lycopene content is not only antioxidant but also the main factor on which the red color of
tomatoes depends on. It was significantly (P0.05) higher
in treatment T2 (0.70 mg kg1), followed by the treatments

P
(%)
0.090.13 e
0.170.004 e
0.190.01a
0.230.004 b
0.210.01 a
0.270.004 a
0.120.004 d
0.180.004 de
0.190.02 a
0.200.004 c
0.180.001 b
0.190.004 cd
3.73
2.73

3.4. TSS, protein, sugar and antioxidant compounds

in fruits

Mineral concentrations in roots and shoots of tomato plants

were determined at 60 DAT (Table 4). K, Cu, Fe, and Zn
contents were found to be significantly higher in roots
fertilized with 100% BioF/compost (T3 treatment) than the
recommended doses of NPK (T2 treatment). Potassium
and Zn contents were also significantly higher in roots with
50% BioF/compost coupled with 50% N (i.e., T5) than the T2
treatment. However, N, P and Ca contents were statistically
similar with these two treatments in roots. P, K, Mg, and
Fe levels were detected to be significantly higher in shoots
received 100% BioF/compost compared to the recommended doses of NPK. Mg and Fe levels were also significantly
higher in T5 treatment compared to the T2 treatment. However, N content was significantly lower in T3 treatment than
the treatment T2. Nevertheless, Ca content was statistically
similar with these two treatments. These results suggested
that BioF/compost could promote plant growth and uptake
the increase of minerals and transfer them into fruits latter.

Categories1)

3.3. Mineral concentrations in plants

Treatments

chlorophyll b and carotinoid) content biochemically only at

80 DAT (Fig. 1-B). Chlorophyll a content was significantly
(P0.05) higher in T3 treatment followed by the treatment
T2. Chlorophyll b content was also significantly (P0.05)
higher in T3 treatment followed by the treatments T2 and T6.
Carotenoid content was statistically similar in treatmentsT2,
T3,T4, T5 and T6, but they were significantly higher than the
control treatment (T1). However, the lowest chlorophyll
a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid were always detected in
control treatment.

Zn

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Table 4 Effect of Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) and nitrogen fertilizer on the concentration of minerals in roots and shoots of tomato

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Table 5 Sugar, protein and antioxidant contents in ripe tomato fruits as influenced by Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/
compost) alone or in combination with reduced rates of N
Treatments
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
CV (%)

Total soluble
solid
5.070.009
4.700.025
4.960.009
4.900.006
4.850.09
4.750.012
3.75

Protein
(%)
10.080.04 c
17.170.04 a
13.860.08 b
13.150.14 b
11.260.14 c
14.410.14 b
4.31

Reducing sugar
(g kg1)
16.40.012 c
20.70.018 a
21.70.006 a
18.70.018 abc
20.40.038 ab
17.50.006 bc
6.16

T3 (0.60 mg kg1) and T1 (0.60 mg kg1). These results are

indicative of the fact that BioF/compost increases the quality
and the functionality of tomatoes.

3.5. Minerals and trace elements in fruits

Total N was found significantly (P0.05) higher in treatment
T2 followed by T6, T3, T4 and T5 (Table 6) suggesting that
quick and sufficient N supply from urea fertilizer may increase total N in fruit tomatoes. On the other hand, several
other minerals such as P, K, Ca, and Mg were found significantly higher in fruits fertilized with BioF/compost alone.
However, except for Mg, the treatments T3 and T5 were
found equally efficient in transferring nutrients from soil to
tomato plants and fruits which ultimately attributed to higher
nutrient concentrations in tomato fruits. Essential heavy
metals such as Cu (44.25 mg kg1), Fe (241.73 mg kg1)
and Zn (103.16 mg kg1) were found significantly (P0.05)
higher in T3 treatment compared to the other treatments. It
is evident from the results that higher minerals and essential
heavy metals were detected in roots and shoots of plants
fertilized with BioF/compost (Table 4). Consequently, maximum accumulation of these elements in fruits were observed
in the treatments of BioF/compost alone or in combination
with reduced rates of N (i.e., 50% BioF/compost+50% N).
Application of BioF/compost was found to have increased
not only the antioxidant compounds but also the mineral
contents of fruits.

3.6. Availability of nutrients and abundance of fungi

and bacteria in rhizosphere
Table 7 shows that soil pH and K content were not significantly influenced by the sole application of BioF/compost
or in combination with reduced rates of N. Organic matter
(1.44%) content was significantly (P0.05) higher in treatment T3, followed by T2 (1.32%) and T4 (1.29%). Available
P (7.61 mg kg1) was detected to be higher significantly
(P0.05) in treatment T3, followed by the treatments T4 (6.69
mg kg1) and T2 (6.68 mg kg1). Zinc content (1.34 mg kg1)

Total sugar
(g kg1)
34.40.01 c
38.90.03 b
40.80.05 a
34.80.03 c
41.30.04 a
34.80.02 c
1 .79

Antioxidant compounds (mg kg1)

Ascorbic acid
-carotene
Lycopene
90.020.06 e
0.600.01 ab 0.600003 ab
110.790.023 ab
0.200.0001 b 0.700.002 a
122.30.023 a
1.100.003 a 0.600.003 ab
110.350.023 bc
0.200.00 b
0.500.00 bc
100.960.012 c
0.600.01 ab 0.500.00 c
100.380.046 d
0.200.00 b
0.600 .00 bc
1.84
61.83
8.45

was also found to be higher in T3 treatment. These results

suggested that Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer might be
efficient in solubilizing and increasing the availability of P and
Zn in soils. The fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere soil was
quantified at 60 DAT as shown in Table 7. Fungal populations were significantly (P0.05) increased in T3 treatment,
followed by the treatments T4 and T5. In fact, the treatments
T3 and T4 were found equally potential for the growth of
microbial populations in soils. Likewise, the treatments T3,
T4 and T5 all resulted in abundance of the bacterial populations. However, fungal and bacterial populations in the T2
treatment (recommended dose of NPK) were significantly
lower compared to the treatments T3, T4 and T5. Thus, BioF/
compost seemed to be more efficient at increasing the population of soil microflora. Our Pearson correlations studies
revealed that the abundance of microflora in rhizosphere soil
are also positively and significantly correlated with organic
matter content and availability of P (i.e., fungi with organic
matter content (0.560*) and available P (0.635*) and bacteria with available P (0.638*)). Furthermore, tomato yields
were found to be positively and significantly correlated with
organic matter content (0.588*), available P (0.967**) and Zn
(0.637*) in soil, and abundance of fungi (0.634*) and bacteria
(0.682**) in rhizosphere soil.

3.7. Pearson correlations of available nutrients in the

soil with fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere
A Pearson correlation analysis showed antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid content in ripe tomatoes is
positively and significantly correlated with the soil available P
and Zn and abundance of fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere
soil (Table 8). Total N, P, K, Zn and microbial populations
in rhizosphere were also positively correlated with several
minerals in ripe tomatoes (i.e., total N with N, P, K, Ca, Mg,
Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, P with N, Ca and Fe, K with P, Cu and
Zn, Zn with N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, fungi with
N, Ca and Fe, and bacteria with N, Ca, Mg, Cu and Fe).
In our study, not only several minerals but also antioxidant
compounds at least ascorbic acid is positively correlated

Microbial populations (g1)

Fungi (105)
Bacteria (109)
11.000.54 b
9.3720.84 c
12.290.82 b
19.6367.66 b
17.670.57 a
26.7382.32 a
17.330.83 a
25.2468.06 a
15.670.96 ab
25.0998.26 ab
13.330.68 ab
19.6580.21 b

17.75
12.66
Zn
( mg kg1)
1.070.013 e
1.280.003 ab
1.340.006 a
1.180.005 cd
1.20.006 bc
1.110.005 de
1.10
3.22
K
( c-mol kg1)
0.290.003
0.330.008
0.310.003
0.280.01
0.300.018
0.310.025
0.30
3.12
Available P
( mg kg1)
4.830.045 d
6.680.003 b
7.610.003 a
6.690.01 b
6.670.003 b
5.740.006 c
5.37
4.14
Total N
(kg1)
0.90.001 d
1.80.002 a
1.60.001 b
1.40.002 bc
1.40.0008 bc
1.60.002 b
0.89
2.67
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
Pre-soil
CV (%)

6.260.01
6.220.01
6.340.01
6.240.01
6.290.01
6.360.01
6.20
0.20

Organic matter
(g kg1)
11.00.01 de
13.20.003 ab
14.40.005 a
12.90.005 bc
11.90.033 cd
11.40.005 de
11.4
3.73
pH

0.270.002 d
0.520.007 b
0.600.016 a
0.300.008 d
0.510.004 b
0.440.004 c
5.93
0.870.016 c
1.100.016 b
1.540.005 a
1.110.004 b
1.510.005 a
0.940.016 c
5.12
3.940.004 b
4.130.014 b
4.720.047 a
3.640.007 c
4.580.032 a
3.620.027 c
1.98
1.670.01 f
2.800.008 a
2.290.007 c
2.050.01 d
1.920.008 e
2.420.008 b
0.24
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
CV (%)

Treatments

81.780.17 ab
75.350.66 ab
103.16 0.40 a
55.630.24 b
57.600.22 b
58.230.60 b
4.18
21.360.16 c
25.340.10 d
17.570.24 b
15.910.39 f
27.690.18 b
29.650.14 a
2.13

Zn
Mn

Fe
(mg kg1)
29.670.15 d
140.250.47 e
42.000.11 ab
173.150.24 c
44.2 0.51 a
241.730.17 a
38.360.35 bc
141.950.02 e
41.900.38 ab
200.680.59 b
36.150.22 c
202.760.44 b
3.71
1.01
Cu
Mg
Ca
K

P
(%)
0.050.001 b
0.060.001 b
0.120.002 a
0.050.004 b
0.100.004 a
0.060.001 b
9.84
Total N
Treatments

Table 6 Minerals and essential trace elements in ripe tomato fruits by Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) alone or in combination with reduced rates of N

Table 7 Nutrients and microbial populations in rhizospheric soils as influenced by Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost) alone or in combination with reduced rates of N

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

10

with availability of nutrients in soil and abundance

of fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere soil.

4. Discussion
In this study, we found that exclusive use of BioF/
compost increased yield of tomato (cv. BARI
tomato 15). Crop productivity was also shown to
have increased up to 300% after addition of T. hamatum or T. koningii under field conditions (Chet
et al. 1997). Increased yields in several crops,
such as cucumber (Altintas and Bal 2005), sugarcane (Srivastava et al. 2006), mustard (Haque
et al. 2010), rice (Banayo et al. 2012), wheat
(Sharma et al. 2012), and soybean (Abudulai
et al. 2014) were reported from the application of
Trichoderma spp. Conversely, Molla et al. (2012)
reported that the sole application of BioF/compost
as recommended by suppliers produced 30.08%
lower yield of tomato (cv. BARI tomato 14) than
the recommended doses of NPK. However, the
beneficial effect of T. atroviride and T. harzianum
on tomato was reported to be modulated by plant
genotype (Tucci et al. 2010). Thus, the efficiency of BioF/compost may depend on variety of
tomato and amount of BioF/compost used in the
experiment.
We conducted our experiment in a low fertile
field condition (Table 2) and found that the vegetative growth (except number of leaves) and dry matter weight plant1 were indistinguishable between
100% BioF/compost and recommended doses of
NPK treatment (Table 3). Thus, BioF/compost
may promote growth of plants in low fertile field
conditions too. Application of BioF/compost may
make the soil environment suitable for microbial
growth and nutrient solubility. Biofertilizer can restore the inherent potential of soil to be productive
through nutrient cycling and enhancing nutrient
and carbon stock in soil. Therefore, Trichoderma
brings multiple benefits which are altogether positively contributes towards soil fertility improvement
and ultimately promotes plant growth and productivity. Superior plant growth by Trichoderma spp.
was reported to be correlated to the production
of secondary metabolites (e.g., harzianic acid),
phytohormones (e.g., harzianolide, indole acetic
acid), the solubilization of sparingly soluble minerals including Fe2O3, MnO2, CuO, Zn, and rock
P, the promotion of water and mineral uptake, the
induction of systemic resistance in the host plant,
a reduction in pollutant toxicity, and the regulation

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

11

Table 8 Pearson correlations between the soil nutrients and microbial populations in rhizosphere and minerals and antioxidants
in ripe tomatoes

Total N
P
K
Zn
Fungi
Bacteria
*

Antioxidant compounds
Ascorbic acid -carotine Lycopene
N
P
0.476
0.272
0.138
0.767** 0.319
0.881**
0.355
0.200
0.593* 0.338
0.113
0.237
0.181 0.001 0.537
0.583*
0.507
0.354
0.962** 0.155
*
0.633
0.483
0.010
0.213 0.429
0.739**
0.402
0.309
0.409 0.142

Minerals
K
Ca
Mg
Cu
0.223
0.756** 0.716**
0.307
0.561
0.426 0.023 0.197
0.116 0.111 0.082
0.057
0.115
0.665* 0.544
0.376
0.387
0.076 0.100 0.168
0.022
0.121
0.133
0.300

Fe
0.384
0.701*
0.013
0.455
0.498
0.695*

Mn
0.269
0.446
0.113
0.260
0.364
0.049

Zn
0.129
0.363
0.341
0.301
0.251
0.382

, P0.05 level; **, P0.01 level (2-tailed).

of rhizospheric microflora (Yedidia et al. 2001; Vinale et al.

2006, 2009; Adams et al. 2007; Gravel et al. 2007; Bae
et al. 2009; Cai et al. 2013, 2015). Thus, one or several
mechanisms may be responsible for enhanced growth of
tomato plants in low fertile field conditions.
Leaf greenness is desired because it is directly related
to nitrogen uptake (Harman and Shoresh 2007) and rate of
photosynthesis (Harman 2000; Harman and Shoresh 2007).
Our present study showed that leaf greenness (Fig. 1-A) and
chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoid contents were significantly
higher in 100% BioF/compost treatment (Fig. 1-B), suggesting that 100% BioF/compost may supply the adequate
amount of nutrients to plants at the latter stage too. Inoculation with T. harzianum strain SQR-T037 was also shown
to have increased SPAD values in the tomato seedling
grown in the Fe- and Cu-deficient hydroponic system (Li
et al. 2015). In fact, during Trichoderma-plant interaction,
numerous photosynthesis-related proteins were shown to
be up-regulated in plants which may increase photosynthetic
capacity of the plants leading to yield and quality of crops
(Harman 2000). T. harzianum T22 was shown to increase
leaf greenness in different crops including bean (Harman
and Shoresh 2007), maize (Harman 2000; Akladious and
Abbas 2012) and rice (Shukla et al. 2012).
The concentrations of minerals like P, Fe, Mn, and Zn was
shown to increase in cucumber plants grown in hydroponic
system with T. harzianum (Yedidia et al. 2001). Cai et al.
(2015) reported that the 75% chemical fertilizer along with
bio-organic fertilizer promotes tomato plants to uptake more
N, P, and K at the early stage. The results presented here
showed that significant increases in minerals (P, K, Ca, Mg,
Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were not only detected in the roots and
shoots (Table 4) but also in fruits (Table 6) with 100% BioF/
compost, showing that exclusive use of BioF/compost not
only increased tomato yield but also the fruit quality. The
content of several minerals (such as N, P, K, Ca, and Fe)
was also shown to be significantly higher in strawberry fruits
treated with plant probiotics, Phyllobacterium (Flores-Flix
et al. 2015). Kelly and Bateman (2010) reported significantly
greater concentrations of Zn and Fe in organic tomatoes.

Nitrogen fertilizer was shown to enhance the protein

content (Rembiakowska 2007). Accordingly, protein
content was found to be higher in recommended doses of
NPK compared to the other treatments (Table 5). However,
Worthington (2001) reported that nitrogen from any kind of
fertilizer affects the quantity and quality of protein produced
by plants. Furthermore, he also reported that a large amount
of nitrogen given to a plant increases protein production but
reduces the carbohydrate production. The increased protein
produced in response to high nitrogen levels contains lower
amounts of certain amino acids such as lysine and therefore
has a lower quality with respect to human nutrition. Brandt
et al. (2001) noted that crops grown in field conditions with
lower levels of readily available nitrogen, and as a result,
most foods tend to have lower nitrate and protein levels.
Thus, quality of protein and nitrate in ripe tomatoes still
remains a matter worth further investigation.
The results presented here confirm for the first time that
antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid, -carotene
and lycopene are increased in ripe tomatoes fertilized with
100% BioF/compost (Table 5). In fact, an increase in the
N rates tends to decrease the ascorbic acid content of the
fruit, probably for indirect reasons, since N supply might
enhance the foliage and hence the shading of fruit on plants
unevenly illuminated by direct sunshine (Dumas et al. 2003).
We observed that contents of -carotene and lycopene are
very low in different treatments ranging from 0.20 to 1.10
mg kg1 and 0.50 to 0.70 mg kg1, respectively (Table 5).
Researchers reported low lycopene (0.41 to 1.12 mg kg1)
and -carotene (1.03 mg kg1) in tomatoes in Bangladesh
(Salam et al. 2010; Shaheen et al. 2013). It was reported
that contents of -carotene and lycopene were significantly
influenced by the environmental factors and agricultural
techniques in tomatoes (Dumas et al. 2003; Nour et al.
2010). Montagu and Gob (1990) reported that the fruit lycopene content tends to increase by 30% on average when
the supplied N increased. On the other hand, Aziz (1968)
reported that fruit lycopene content shows a decrease when
N supply is increased. Lycopene content of tomato fruits
was reported to be higher when treated with biofertilizer,

12

*** et al. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 2016, 15(0): 60345-7

Rhodopseudomonas sp., than untreated control (Lee et al.

2008). The color values (a/b) were reported to be highly
correlated with lycopene content (Johjima and Matsuzoe
1995). Accordingly, fruit chlorophyll a and b were found
to be significantly (P0.05) higher in treatment T3 (data
not shown). However, fruit chlorophyll a and b were not
correlated with lycopene content of T2 treatment (Data not
shown). Giovanelli et al. (1999) shown that a/b index on the
whole tomato fruit skin, did not observe the existence of any
direct correlation with lycopene content, since the same a/b
value could correspond to lycopene contents differing 100%.
Thus, 100% BioF/compost increases yield, the quality, and
functionality of tomato fruits.
Soil microorganisms play a pivotal role in the availability
of nutrients (Altomare and Tringovska 2011). For example,
availability of P in rhizosphere soil was shown to be higher
in the Trichoderma-enriched bio-organic fertilizer treatment
(Cai et al. 2015). Our study reveals that exclusive application of biofertilizers increases the availability of not only P
but also Zn in the rhizosphere (Table 7). The colonization
of cucumber roots by T. asperellum was shown to have
enhanced the availability of P and Fe to plants (Yedidia et al.
2001). P is of key importance considering its role in plant
growth, fruit setting, and development (Johansen 1999).
P is also used by soil microorganisms for their growth and
development (Altomare and Tringovska 2011). In tropical
and subtropical environments, P is one of the most limiting
plant nutrients. The successful supply of this nutrient to
soil through different organic fertilizers and amendments,
like Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer, could be considered
as one of the best management practices for sustainable
agriculture.
Soil microorganisms including fungi and bacteria are the
key players in the decomposition of soil organic matter. They
release available nutrients to soils. Moreover, microorganisms in the rhizosphere are considered to play an important
role in making nutrients available to plants, improving soil
fertility, and promoting plant growth and productivity (Kaewchai et al. 2009). Worthington (2001) showed that the higher
mineral content in crops are positively correlated with higher
abundance of microorganisms in soil. The abundance of
soil microflora was also shown to be positively correlated
with the availability of nutrients in soil (Cai et al. 2015).
Our present study shows that the treatments 100% BioF/
compost, 75% BioF/compost plus 25% N and 50% BioF/
compost coupled with 50% N all resulted in an increased
abundance of the populations of fungi and bacteria, whereas
the fungi and bacteria in the recommended doses of NPK
were comparatively lower (Table 7). Moreover, availability
of nutrients, as well as fungi and bacteria in rhizosphere soil
were found to be positively correlated with yield, minerals,
and antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid in ripe

tomatoes, which was revealed by the Pearson correlation

analysis (Table 8). BioF/compost increased yield, antioxidants and mineral concentrations in tomatoes, which are
related with availability of nutrients in soils and abundance
of microbes in rhizosphere. Thus, BioF/compost is not only
a beneficial practice for the agriculture and the environment
but also for human health.

5. Conclusion
In this experiment, exclusive use of Trichoderma-enriched
biofertilizer (BioF/compost) increased not only the plant
growth and yield but also increased the antioxidant compounds (e.g., ascorbic acid, -carotene and lycopene) and
minerals in roots, shoots and fruits. Moreover, BioF/compost
increased soil fertility and stimulated microbial growth in the
rhizosphere. Thus, BioF/compost may reduce application
of chemical fertilizers and therefore, can be considered as
a noble practice in sustainable agriculture.

Acknowledgements
We thank Patrick M. Freeze, Washington State University,
USA and Md. Moinul Hossain Oliver, Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Bangladesh for their carefully reading and correcting the language.
The work was supported by internal grants of Bangabandhu
Sheikh MujiburRahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU),
Gazipur, Bangladesh. We also thank Natore Development
Society (NDS) and M/S RASH Agro Enterprise, Natore,
Bangladesh for the gift of the Trichoderma-enriched biofertilizer (BioF/compost).

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