PubMed · 2026-07-06
Researchers found that exposing tomato and agave plants to airborne chemicals produced by soil bacteria, even just once, improved their ability to tolerate drought and boosted tomato fruit yields by up to 2.65 times. The effects lasted for months without any repeat treatment, suggesting these bacterial signals could become a practical tool for sustainable agriculture.
A single exposure to bacterial volatiles increased tomato fruit yield by 0.10 to 2.65-fold under both well-watered and moderate drought conditions, with ethyl isovalerate showing the strongest effect
Ethyl isovalerate and camphene improved agave leaf and root development, relative water content, and chlorophyll and carbohydrate levels under moderate and severe water limitation
Effects from a single volatile exposure persisted for 4.5 months in tomato and 8 months in agave, with no repeat treatment required; nonanal produced net negative outcomes in agave
