Effect of Plant Stimulants with Mixed Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Tomato under Desert Conditions

Plant stimulants improve plant growth and development by efficiently enhancing nutrient utilization for agricultural sustainability. The objective of this study was to determine the effect and optimum rates of MiZax-3 and Zif-8, on growth and yield of tomato during 2022/23 and 2023/24 growing seasons. We found a significant increase in plant height (9%), number of branches (39.5%) and number of leaves (50%) with MiZax-3+Zif-8 at low (2.5 and 5 μM) concentrations at 100% and 75% fertilizer levels during both seasons. Importantly, yield per plot with MiZax-3+Zif-8 (2.5 and 5 μM) treatments increased 64.4% and 69.7% compared to control during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 growing seasons, respectively. In addition, total plant biomass increased 37.6% and 50.5% compared to control with MiZax-3 (5 and 2.5 μM) during two consecutive seasons. Application of MiZax-3+Zif-8 (5 μM) increased total chlorophyll content by 29.8% and 30.4% compared to the control in both 2022/23 and 2023/24 planting seasons, respectively. In conclusion, our findings indicate that lower concentrations (2.5 and 5 μM) of MiZax-3+Zif-8 can significantly improve the growth and yield of tomato production, revealing these stimulants as efficient tools for agricultural sustainability.