Chitosan microparticles improve tomato seedling biomass and modulate hormonal, redox and defense pathways

Agrobiotechnology challenges involve the generation of new sustainable bioactives with emerging properties as plant biostimulants with reduced environment impact. We analyzed the potential use of recently developed chitosan microparticles (CS-MP) as growth promoters of tomato which constitutes one of the most consumed vegetable crops worldwide. Treatments of tomato seeds with CS-MP improved germination and vigor index. In addition, CS-MP sustained application triggered an improvement in root and shoot biomass reinforcing tomato performance before transplanting. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzyme activities and defense protein markers were modulated by CS-MP treatment in tomato plantlets. Analyses of ARRS:GUS and DR5:GUS transgenic reporter tomato lines highlighted the participation of cytokinin and auxin signaling pathways during tomato root promotion mediated by CS-MP. Our findings claim a high commercial potential of CS-MP to be incorporated as a sustainable input for tomato production.