Comparing the Effect of Biochar and Poultry Manure on the Metabolomic Profile of Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Background: In the coming decades, the agricultural system will increasingly rely on organic amendments to sustain crop production, maintain soil health and ensure long-term food security. While inorganic fertilizers remain widely used for vegetable production due to their rapid nutrient availability, their prolonged application has been shown to degrade soil quality, disrupt microbial communities and limit the nutritional quality of harvested produce. Consequently, there is a growing need to explore organic alternatives such as biochar and poultry manure that can enhance both crop productivity and functional quality. Objective: This study aimed to determine the influence of different application rates of biochar (5/T1, 10/T2, and 20/T3 t/ha), poultry manure (10/T1, 20/T2, 30/T3 t/ha), and NPK (2:3:4) as control on the metabolomic profile of tomato fruit. Methods: The metabolomic profile was determined using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: Common metabolites across biochar rates included allantoin, asparagine and betaine, while rate-specific released metabolites such as inosine (T1), epicatechin (T2) and kynurenine (T3) were also identified. Similarly, poultry manure showed an array of metabolites at the highest application rate, with metabolites such as cellobiose, creatinine and maltose, while histamine (T1) and ADP (T3) were also detected as distinct metabolites.