"Moringa leaf extract alleviates salt stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) by activating antioxidant defenses, reducing osmolyte accumulation, improving water status, and enhancing yield."

• Physiochemical processes, plant growth, and fruit yield of tomato were significantly affected by salt stress. • A decrease in SPAD index under severe salt stress resulted in reduced plant growth and tomato yield. • Under salt stress conditions, tomatoes produced fewer and smaller fruits per plant. • Foliar application MLE mitigates the effects of salinity on growth and physiochemical processes. • Foliar application of MLE increases the yield of tomatoes. Salt stress poses a significant threat to crop productivity, prompting investigations into mitigation strategies. This study assessed the efficacy of foliar spraying with moringa leaf extract (MLE) to alleviate salt stress at concentrations of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM, alongside a control (0 mM), in tomato plants. Salt stress-induced marked significant reductions in vegetative parameters (shoot height, root length, stem diameter, and the number of leaves plant -1 ), yet MLE-treated plants exhibited enhanced growth compared to the untreated and control plants. Salinity adversely affected chlorophyll content, relative water content, and membrane stability index, all of which were significantly ameliorated by MLE application. Additionally, MLE treatment bolstered the activity of catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and proline accumulation, contributing to improved plant resilience. Notably, MLE-treated plants demonstrated significantly increased yields compared to untreated counterparts. These findings underscore the potential of MLE as a bioresource for mitigating salt stress in tomato plants, offering promising avenues for sustainable crop management in the highly saline soil in a region like Qatar.