ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology has become a transformative tool in agriculture, offering innovative solutions to enhance crop productivity and sustainability. Formulating nanofertilizers provides several advantages over conventional fertilizers, such as improved nutrient uptake, reduced nutrient leaching, and minimized health risks. This study aimed to investigate the effects of formulated nanofertilizers on the growth and rhizosphere bacteria population of tomato plants. Tomato plants were carefully moved into planting bags and treated with nanofertilizer made from watermelon, yam, banana, and plantain peels. The tomato plants received different concentrations (10, 15, and 20 ml/L) of these nanofertilizers. Several growth characteristics were measured, including plant height, girth, leaf count, number of leaflets, node count, and chlorotic leaf presence. Rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from the soil surrounding tomato plants and identified using morphological and biochemical characterization, followed by molecular test to confirm their identity. After five weeks of treatment with banana nanofertilizer (BNF), the tomato plants had the maximum average plant height (33.9 cm), leaf count (9), number of leaflets (69), and node distribution (9 cm). In contrast, plants treated with watermelon nanofertilizer (WNF) had the lowest values of average plant height (11.9 cm), girth (0.4 cm), leaf count (3.2), number of leaflets (13.7), and node distribution (3.2). The girth of tomato plants treated with BNF or plantain nanofertilizers (PNF) was similar in values (1.1± 0.3 and 1.1± 0.2cm). The BNF treatment yielded the largest colony count (19) and species diversity (Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Rhizobium spp.). The findings of this study indicate that BNF promote tomato plant development and increase rhizosphere bacterial population, therefore could be employed in tomato cultivation.
