Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an essential crop worldwide, yet it remains highly vulnerable to severe fungal and bacterial diseases. Traditional chemical-based disease management strategies, aimed at controlling these diseases face increasing scrutiny, due to concerns regarding pathogen resistance, environmental degradation, and potential health risks to humans. This has catalyzed the exploration of sustainable alternatives, with biological control emerging as a viable and promising strategy. Endophytic and epiphytic microorganisms are pivotal as biocontrol agents (BCAs), employing diverse strategies, such as generating antimicrobial substances, enzymes, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to suppress pathogen growth and enhance plant health. The efficacy of these antagonistic microorganisms is influenced by the cultivation systems employed, with significant variations observed between soil and hydroponic environments. Factors such as nutrient dynamics and microbial interactions play crucial roles in determining the success of BCAs in these different settings. The advent of metagenomic tools has transformed the landscape of microbial community research, facilitating the identification of functional genes associated with antagonistic activities and the adaptation of these microorganisms to diverse environmental conditions. This review aims to elucidate the potential of endophytic and epiphytic microorganisms in biological control, examining their mechanisms of action, the impact of cultivation systems on their effectiveness, and the application of metagenomics to optimize their use in sustainable disease management strategies for tomato crops.

Increased market demand for plant herbs has prompted growers to ensure a continuous and assured supply of superior nutritional quality over the years. Apart from the nutritional value, culinary herbs contain phytochemical benefits that can improve human health. However, a significant amount of research has focused on enhancing yield, frequently overlooking the impact of production practices on the antioxidant and phytonutritional content of the produce. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the yield, phytonutrients, and essential mineral profiling in selected aromatic herbs and their intricate role in nutritional quality when grown under different production systems. Five selected aromatic herbs (coriander, rocket, fennel, basil, and moss-curled parsley) were evaluated at harvest when grown under three production systems: in a gravel-film technique (GFT) hydroponic system and in soil, both under the 40% white shade-net structure, as well as in a soilless medium using sawdust under a non-temperature-controlled plastic tunnel (NTC). The phytonutritional quality properties (total phenolic, flavonoids, β-carotene-linoleic acid, and condensed tannins contents) as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) were assessed using spectrophotometry, while vitamin C and β-carotene were analyzed using HPLC-PDA, and leaf mineral content was evaluated using ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry). The results show that the health benefits vary greatly owing to the particular culinary herb. The fresh leaf mass (yield) of coriander, parsley, and rocket was not significantly affected by the production system, whereas basil was high in soil cultivation, followed by GFT. Fennel had a high yield in the GFT system compared to in-soil and in-soilless cultivation. The highest levels of vitamin C were found in basil leaves grown in GFT and in soil compared to the soilless medium. The amount of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds, β-carotene, β-carotene-linoleic acid, and DPPH, were considerably high in soil cultivation, except on condensed tannins compared to the GFT and soilless medium, which could be a result of Photosynthetic Active Radiation (PAR) values (683 μmol/m²/s) and not favoring the accumulation of tannins. Overall, the mineral content was greatly influenced by the production system. Leaf calcium and magnesium contents were highly accumulated in rockets grown in the soilless medium and the GFT hydroponic system. The results have highlighted that growing environmental conditions significantly impact the accumulation of health-promoting phytonutrients in aromatic herbs. Some have positive ramifications, while others have negative ramifications. As a result, growers should prioritize in-soil production systems over GFT (under the shade-net) and soilless cultivation (under NTC) to produce aromatic herbs to improve the functional benefits and customer health.

Despite the increasing adoption of soilless cultivation systems, little is known about how the gravel flow technique (GFT) influences postharvest quality, phytonutritional composition, and shelf life of cauliflower compared with conventional soil cultivation, and how these effects interact with cultivar genotype. Therefore, this study evaluated the influence of production system (soil cultivation vs. GFT), cultivar, and storage duration on the postharvest physiology, quality, and phytonutritional attributes of three cauliflower cultivars (‘Macerata’, ‘Sicilian Violet’, and ‘Snowball’) stored at 4 °C for 8 days. Significant production system × cultivar × storage interactions affected physiological, biochemical, and sensory characteristics. Soil-grown curds maintained higher O₂ and lower CO₂ concentrations, indicating lower respiration rates and slower deterioration than GFT-grown curds. ‘Snowball’ exhibited the highest weight loss and respiratory activity, whereas ‘Sicilian Violet’ showed the lowest weight loss. Soil cultivation enhanced the retention of phenolics, glucosinolates, pigments, and antioxidant activity. After 8 days, soil-grown ‘Sicilian Violet’ exhibited the highest total phenolic content (55.25 mg GAE g⁻¹ DW) and antioxidant capacity, while the highest glucosinolate concentration was recorded in soil-grown ‘Macerata’ (48.23 µmol g⁻¹ DW on day 6). ‘Macerata’ maintained the highest chlorophyll and β-carotene contents throughout storage, whereas ‘Sicilian Violet’ showed superior anthocyanin retention and antioxidant capacity. Although sensory quality declined during storage, soil-grown curds retained better quality and lower browning than GFT-grown curds. Overall, soil cultivation improved postharvest quality and nutraceutical value, highlighting the importance of integrating cultivar selection with production practices to optimise shelf life and nutritional quality.