Effects of benzylaminopurine and gibberellic acid on growth, yield, and nutrient composition of greenhouse cultivated yellow cherry tomatoes

Abstract

Abstract Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme ) is a nutritionally valuable crop, yet yellow cherry tomato cultivation faces yield limitations under protected environments. This study investigated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and benzylaminopurine (BAP) on growth, yield, and nutrient components in greenhouse-grown yellow cherry tomatoes. Treatments included foliar applications of GA 3 (25, 50, and 75 mgL − 1 ) and BAP (50 and 100 mgL − 1 ), sprayed on plant leaves at 14, 28, and 42 days after transplanting, before the flowering stage. GA 3 at 75 mgL − 1 enhanced stem diameter (11.31 mm), branch number (22), and fruit biomass (1.13 g/fruit), raising yield by 93.8% over control, while BAP produced the highest yield increase (108.4%). Also, BAP increased chlorophyll content and leaf micronutrient retention (e.g., zinc: 0.859 mg kg −1 ). Fruit nitrogen and protein peaked under GA 3 25 mgL − 1 (3.15% N, 19.66% protein), whereas higher GA 3 concentrations prioritized biomass over nutrient density. BAP reduced fruit shape index (1.49–1.64) and increased total soluble solids (TSS). Cytokinin-auxin interplay differentially regulates source-sink nutrient partitioning, with GA 3 promoting vegetative nitrogen assimilation and BAP enhancing phloem-mediated micronutrient stabilization. These findings demonstrate that optimizing GA 3 and BAP concentrations can balance yield and nutritional quality, providing actionable strategies for improving greenhouse cultivation of yellow cherry tomatoes.