Multi-omics analyses of tomato rhizosphere and leaves treated with a biowaste-derived biostimulant extract

The urgent need for sustainable agriculture, aimed at preserving soil fertility while meeting the food demands of a growing global population, is driving the development of biowaste-derived products. These products represent a cornerstone of the circular economy, transforming organic waste into high-value biostimulants that enhance plant productivity and stress tolerance. This study presents a comprehensive multi-omics investigation into the biostimulant effects of a humic-like extract derived from biowaste, tested on pot-grown tomato plants under controlled conditions at two different dosages. The adopted approach integrates rhizosphere eDNA metabarcoding and leaf RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to capture the simultaneous response of the soil microbial community and the plant transcriptome. These molecular surveys were complemented by physiological parameter measurements and nutrient analysis of both soil and leaves. This holistic characterization provides a robust scientific foundation to assess the efficacy of biowaste extracts, elucidating their impact on plant growth and providing novel insights into their integrated mechanisms of action within the plant-soil system.