Carrabiitol®, a Novel Oligosaccharide Polyol Composition, Mitigates the Impact of Flooding, Drought, Salinity, and High Temperature in Tomato

Abstract

Abiotic stress results in various physiological and biochemical changes in plants. Osmolytes play a pivotal role in improving the tolerance to abiotic stress in plants. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a commercial formulation, Carrabiitol®, an oligosaccharide polyol composition, in alleviating adverse impacts of abiotic stress in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. Arka Rakshak) plants. Plants were raised from seed and treated with 1 mL/L, 2 mL/L, and 3 mL/L of Carrabiitol®. The foliage of developing plants was treated at the 2–3 leaf stage (T2, T3, and T4) and at pre-flowering stage (T5, T6, and T7). Growth conditions were compared with those of plants developed from untreated seed (T1). Developing tomato plants were then exposed to flooding, salinity (50 mM NaCl), high temperature (41.1 °C), or drought at the flowering stage. Plants were evaluated for their dry weight, leaf water potential, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, antioxidant potential, chlorophyll, carotenoid, glucose, sucrose, malondialdehyde, and proline contents. Pre-treated seed, which received a booster treatment at the 2–3 leaf stage (T4 = seed treatment and booster at the 2–3 leaf stage with 3 mL/L Carrabiitol®) and pre-flowering stages (T5, T6, and T7 = seed treatment and booster doses at the pre-flowering stage with 1, 2, and 3 mL/L Carrabiitol®, respectively), was effective in mitigating negative impacts on various growth parameters of stressed tomato plants (p < 0.05). Carrabiitol® may be an effective, sustainable, and bio-rational organic osmolyte formulation for reducing the effects of abiotic stress on plant growth and productivity.