Fermented kiwifruit as a biostimulant for tomato plants

This study evaluated the use of a biostimulant derived from agri-food waste for soilless tomato cultivation. Undersized and unsold kiwifruits were subjected to microbial fermentation to produce a fermented kiwifruit-based biostimulant (FKB). The biostimulant was applied to tomato plants grown in a soilless system, and metataxonomic sequencing was performed to characterize the microbial community of the cultivation substrate at the start and end of the growth cycle. The goal was to assess the effectiveness of FKB and monitor microbial dynamics associated with its application.