Long-term soil mining with extensive cultivation practices and traditional breeding methods have declined the flavor and nutritional value of tomatoes. Apart from important mineral nutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), fungi known as arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) can considerably improve the quality of agricultural production through higher phosphate uptake. Using hydroponically cultured commercially available tomato cultivars, we investigated the possible effects of mycorrhizae in improving the nutritional quality of tomato fruit. Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae)-inoculated tomato plants were grown on a 1:1 mixture of peat and vermiculite, and different phosphorus levels were applied. RNAseq and metabolites were studied to confirm the relative gene expression and metabolites in fruit tissues. The results showed that AM inoculation with low phosphorus can significantly improve important fruit-quality traits such as free amino acids, lycopene (47.9%), and β-carotene (29.6%) without compromising the yield. Further, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing the nutritional and ripening potential of fruits produced by mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. Notably, carotenoids and sugars (BRIX values) were found to be higher in mycorrhized plants in contrast to non-mycorrhized plants. Therefore, the current study suggests mycorrhization as a promising approach for the production of high-quality tomato fruit for human consumption.

The effects of overused chemical fertilizers, which threaten soil, plant, and human health, have always remained a topic of interest in theory and practice, emphasizing the judicious use of mineral nutrients. This study was aimed at reducing the harmful effects of excessive chemical fertilizer application and at exploring alternative approaches that can improve soil fertility without environmental and health damage. The experimental design involved a controlled greenhouse setup where tomato cultivars were inoculated with different AMF species under varying nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) doses. The tomato cultivars Rio Grande and Nadir were inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi species, including Glomus claroideum , Glomus etunicatum , Glomus fasciculatum , and Glomus mosseae —within a commercial greenhouse. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of these fungi on tomato growth physiology, yield, and fruit quality when subjected to varying doses of N and P. Glomus mosseae significantly increased plant height by 14%, stem diameter by 22.25%, dry matter by 23.59%, yield by 38.57%, N uptake by 16.40%, P uptake by 37.5%, potassium (K) uptake by 18.55%, chlorophyll a (Chl a) content by 15.18%, and chlorophyll b (Chl b) content by 25.19% when compared to untreated controls. Additionally, Glomus mosseae improved fruit diameter by 9.98%, fruit firmness by 18.45%, juice content by 15.20%, titratable acidity (TA) by 10.42%, and ascorbic acid concentration by 16.75%. The interaction between the N and P levels of 140:42 mg L ⁻¹ and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) species Glomus mosseae resulted in the highest improvement in growth, yield, and fruit quality‐related traits. Among the cultivars, Rio Grande exhibited the greatest root colonization, plant dry matter content, N, P, K uptake, plant height, Chl a, Chl b, and yield when compared to the control. In contrast, cultivar Nadir showed the highest stem diameter, fruit size, firmness, ascorbic acid, fruit juice contents, and TA. This study recommends that AMF inoculation in combination with a low N and P supply can be promising for improving tomato growth, productivity, and fruit quality on a commercial scale with minimum threats to the environment and human health. This study suggests the exploration of long‐term sustainability and scalability of AMF inoculation methods in diverse agricultural settings.