Soil Microbiome Engineering with Trichoderma harzianum Boosts Tomato Yield 23%
Andersen F, Okafor N, Li W
Soil Health
A simple, one-time soil treatment could let home gardeners and farmers grow significantly more tomatoes without synthetic fertilizers — and the benefits last more than a year after a single application.
Scientists added a helpful soil fungus and a type of charcoal called biochar to tomato fields, and the plants produced 23% more tomatoes over two growing seasons. The treatment didn't just help temporarily — it permanently shifted the microscopic life living in the soil toward bacteria that naturally help plants thrive. Over a year later, those beneficial changes were still going strong.
Key Findings
Tomato yield increased by 23% over two growing seasons following a single treatment with T. harzianum and biochar.
Soil microbial communities shifted to favor plant growth-promoting bacteria and remained restructured for at least 14 months post-application.
The combined approach (fungal inoculant + biochar amendment) produced persistent ecosystem-level changes, not just short-term growth boosts.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Adding a beneficial fungus (Trichoderma harzianum) plus charcoal to garden soil boosted tomato yields by 23% and reshaped the soil's microbial community in ways that keep helping plants grow for over a year.
Abstract Preview
Inoculation of field soils with T. harzianum strain T-22 combined with biochar amendment increased tomato yield by 23% over two growing seasons. 16S rRNA analysis showed persistent microbiome restr...
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The tomato is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originated from western South America, and may have been domesticated there, in Mexico, or in Central America. Th...