Abstract
The rhizosphere microbiome plays a crucial role in plant growth, nutrient acquisition, and disease suppression. This study investigated the effects of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plant health, productivity, and resistance to Fusarium wilt disease. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using four treatments: control (no microbial inoculation), Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and a microbial consortium consisting of both bacterial strains. Plant growth parameters, nutrient uptake, chlorophyll content, disease incidence, and fruit yield were evaluated. The results demonstrated that microbial inoculation significantly improved plant growth compared with the control treatment. The consortium treatment produced the highest plant height (65.1 cm), biomass (43.0 g), and chlorophyll content (47.2 SPAD). Nutrient uptake was also enhanced, with nitrogen and phosphorus levels reaching 29.0 mg and 22.1 mg, respectively, in the consortium treatment. In addition, microbial treatments significantly reduced Fusarium wilt disease incidence, with the lowest disease level (22.3%) observed in the consortium treatment compared with 56.4% in the control plants. Fruit yield was substantially increased in microbial treatments, with the consortium treatment producing the highest yield (610 g per plant). Statistical analysis using ANOVA confirmed that these differences were highly significant (p < 0.001). The findings highlight the important role of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms in promoting plant growth, improving nutrient availability, and suppressing plant diseases. The study demonstrates that microbial inoculation, particularly microbial consortia, can serve as an effective and sustainable strategy for enhancing tomato productivity and improving plant health in agricultural systems.