Grafting Eggplant Onto Underutilized Solanum Species and Biostimulatory Action of Azospirillum brasilense Modulate Growth, Yield, NUE and Nutritional and Functional Traits

The grafting of vegetable crops is considered a valuable mean for ensuring the yield and quality under different cultivation conditions. Simultaneously, there are increasing research efforts in exploiting underutilised plants as potential rootstocks vegetables to increase sustainability horticultural systems. In accordance with European Green Deal, application biostimulants fashionable ecological agronomic practice enhance production vegetables. Thus, current appraised synergistic effect eggplant onto various allied (Solanum torvum, S. aethiopicum macrocarpon) applying plant growth-promoting bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense DSM 2298) on growth, production, fruit traits (nutritional functional features) nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). findings showed that ‘Gloria’ F1 grafted torvum or had significant height 50 DAT by 11.6% 9%, respectively, compared not plants. inoculated A. 2298 acquired upsurge 6% control. Our results revealed aethiopicum-grafted improved their marketable 31.4% 20%, ones. Furthermore, significantly boosted control Plant type no dry matter firmness, whereas macrocarpon soluble solids content (SSC) K concentration Plants rootstock protein concentrations combination × Moreover, torvum-grafted those microbial biostimulant highest NUE values. evidenced macrocarpon-grafted plants, 2298, ascorbic acid (average 7.33 7.32 mg 100 g−1 fw, respectively). Interestingly, increased chlorogenic reduced glycoalkaloids data also SSC 4.5%, 5.5%, 2.0% total anthocyanins 0.2% our study underlined could represent valid substitute common rootstock.