Combining bio-based fertilizers with amendment and fertilizing value as a sustainable way for cherry tomato production

Producing tomatoes using combinations of bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) with either fertilizing (large availability of nutrients, eg. human urine) and amendment value (potential contribution to soil organic carbon stocks, eg. composts) can contribute to increase both yield and soil organic carbon. A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of combining BBFs of fertilizing and amending properties on cherry tomato productivity and trace element uptake. The treatments included combinations of either green or food waste compost with either food waste digestate or human urine or synthetic fertilizer; manure and synthetic fertilizer; commercial organic fertilizer (COF); synthetic fertilizer only (SF), and a treatment without any application. Overall, the fertilization application rate was 100 mg kg −1 dry soil (equivalent to 200 kg mineral N ha −1 ). BBF treatments resulted in similar tomato fresh yield, number of fruits, and average fruit weight per plant compared to the SF and COF treatments. All fertilized treatments exceeded the unfertilized treatment, increasing yield by 113–129 %, number of fruits by 68–90 %, and average fruit weight by 24–31 %. The trace element contents in tomato fruits were all below the threshold set by the European Commission and did not differ significantly among treatments, except for cadmium, which had higher values in the SF treatment. The use of BBFs also increased the soluble solids content of tomatoes. Overall, BBFs did not negatively impact the productivity and quality of tomatoes and suggest that combined application of BBFs can be considered for tomato production without adverse effects. • Composts can be combined with human urine or digestate for tomato production. • Tomato quality is not altered by composts with human urine or food waste digestate. • Soluble solid content in tomato fruits increased with the use of BBFs.