Tomato crop resilience via grafting by improving the yield stability and nutritional quality under drought conditions

Introduction Water scarcity is a major abiotic stress that restricts tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) productivity and fruit quality, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Grafting, by combining desirable traits from different genotypes, has emerged as a promising agronomic technique to enhance crop performance under stress. This study aims to investigate the comparative effects of drought stress on grafted and non-grafted tomato plants, focusing on fruit yield and nutritional quality. Methods Experimental trials were conducted in both controlled and drought-stressed environments. Tomato scions were grafted onto vigorous, drought-tolerant rootstocks and compared with non-grafted controls under identical irrigation regimes. Key parameters measured included total fruit yield, marketable yield, average fruit weight, and nutritional quality attributes such as lycopene content, vitamin C, total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity. Results Grafted tomato plants exhibited superior performance compared to non-grafted controls under both conditions. Grafted plants consistently produced higher total and marketable yields, as well as greater average fruit weight. Nutritional quality was also enhanced in grafted tomatoes, which showed significantly higher concentrations of lycopene, vitamin C, TSS, and titratable acidity. In contrast, drought-stressed non-grafted plants experienced reductions in both yield and nutritional quality, including smaller fruit size and lower levels of bioactive compounds. Discussion The findings underscore the effectiveness of grafting as a sustainable strategy to mitigate drought stress in tomato cultivation. Enhanced yield and improved nutritional profiles in grafted plants indicate potential benefits for flavor, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptance. However, the study's limitations include the absence of a standard commercial rootstock for direct comparison and the lack of stress imposition at uniform intervals. Future research should address rootstock-scion compatibility and evaluate longterm field performance to optimize grafting for commercial tomato production in water-limited environments.