The high erosion rates found in the agriculture land make valuable the use of mulches to control the soil and water losses. Coffee husk (Coffea canephora var. robusta) can be one of those mulches. This paper evaluates how to apply the mulch in order to obtain the best effectiveness. An experimental factorial design 4 × 3 × 2 with two replicates was designed in a greenhouse with a total number of 48 cases. All the samples were deposited in trays of 0.51 m2 and applied a simulated rain of 122 mm h−1 during 21 min. The factors examined were the following: four soil classes; three treatments – buried (B), surface (S) and non-residue (C) – and the presence (WC) or absence (WOC) of the soil surface crusting. The coffee husk residue (S and B treatments) reduced runoff by 10.2 and 46% respectively, soil losses by 78.3 and 88.7% and sediment concentration by 77 and 84.4%. The infiltration rate increased on average by 104 and 167%, and time to runoff by 1.58 and 2.07 min respectively. Coffee husk is an efficient mulch to reduce the soil and water losses, although it could not completely cushion the influence of crust.

Climate change accentuates abiotic stress conditions putting at risk several commercial cultivars particularly vulnerable to salinity in the early stages of development, which makes adopting new technologies in tune with the environment necessary to mitigate its impact. In this study, we tested the possible effects of a commercial biostimulant (BALOX^®) on enhancing salt stress tolerance in salt-treated tomato plants, analysing plant growth and several stress biochemical markers: photosynthetic pigments, ion contents in roots and leaves, leaf concentrations of different osmolytes, oxidative stress markers, non-enzymatic antioxidants, and the specific activities of major antioxidant enzymes. The experimental design consisted of three soil salinity levels (non-saline, saline, and very saline), two biostimulant doses (0.4 mL and 0.8 mL of the BALOX^® stock per litre of irrigation water), and the non-treated control (without biostimulant), evaluated at 30 and 60 days of treatment. The biostimulant favoured plant growth, especially at the root level and in saline soils. In addition, it helped reduce Na⁺ and Cl⁻ uptake by the roots and seemed to stimulate, to some extent, K⁺ and Ca²⁺ transport to the aerial part of the plant. The BALOX^® application significantly reduced the level of stress affecting the plants in saline soils, as shown by the decrease in the contents of proline and oxidative stress biomarkers and the activity of salt-induced antioxidant enzymes. Some of the biostimulant effects were also observed under low salinity conditions; therefore, in addition to enhancing salt stress responses, BALOX^® appears to stimulate the growth of tomato plants through a general improvement of photosynthesis and primary metabolism.

Horticultural crops constantly face abiotic stress factors such as salinity, which have intensified in recent years due to accelerated climate change, significantly affecting their yields and profitability. Under these conditions, it has become necessary to implement effective and sustainable solutions to guarantee agricultural productivity and food security. The influence of BALOX^®, a biostimulant of plant origin, was tested on the responses to salinity of Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia plants exposed to salt concentrations up to 150 mM NaCl, evaluating different biometric and biochemical properties after 25 days of treatment. Control plants were cultivated under the same conditions but without the biostimulant treatment. An in situ analysis of root characteristics using a non-destructive, real-time method was also performed. The salt stress treatments inhibited plant growth, reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, and increased the concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl^- in roots and leaves while reducing those of Ca²⁺. BALOX^® application had a positive effect because it stimulated plant growth and the level of Ca²⁺ and photosynthetic pigments. In addition, it reduced the content of Na⁺ and Cl^- in the presence and the absence of salt. The biostimulant also reduced the salt-induced accumulation of stress biomarkers, such as proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Therefore, BALOX^® appears to significantly reduce osmotic, ionic and oxidative stress levels in salt-treated plants. Furthermore, the analysis of the salt treatments’ and the biostimulant’s direct effects on roots indicated that BALOX^®’s primary mechanism of action probably involves improving plant nutrition, even under severe salt stress conditions, by protecting and stimulating the root absorption zone.

Global warming is linked to progressive soil salinisation, which reduces crop yields, especially in irrigated farmland on arid and semiarid regions. Therefore, it is necessary to apply sustainable and effective solutions that contribute to enhanced crop salt tolerance. In the present study, we tested the effects of a commercial biostimulant (BALOX^®) containing glycine betaine (GB) and polyphenols on the activation of salinity defense mechanisms in tomato. The evaluation of different biometric parameters and the quantification of biochemical markers related to particular stress responses (osmolytes, cations, anions, oxidative stress indicators, and antioxidant enzymes and compounds) was carried out at two phenological stages (vegetative growth and the beginning of reproductive development) and under different salinity conditions (saline and non-saline soil, and irrigation water), using two formulations (different GB concentrations) and two doses of the biostimulant. Once the experiments were completed, the statistical analysis revealed that both formulations and doses of the biostimulant produced very similar effects. The application of BALOX^® improved plant growth and photosynthesis and assisted osmotic adjustment in root and leaf cells. The biostimulant effects are mediated by the control of ion transport, reducing the uptake of toxic Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions and favoring the accumulation of beneficial K⁺ and Ca²⁺ cations, and a significant increase in leaf sugar and GB contents. BALOX^® significantly reduced salt-induced oxidative stress and its harmful effects, as evidenced by a decrease in the concentration of oxidative stress biomarkers, such as malondialdehyde and oxygen peroxide, which was accompanied by the reduction of proline and antioxidant compound contents and the specific activity of antioxidant enzymes with respect to the non-treated plants.