Effects of benzylaminopurine and gibberellic acid on growth, yield, and nutrient composition of greenhouse cultivated yellow cherry tomatoes.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) is a nutritionally valuable crop, yet yellow cherry tomato cultivation faces yield limitations under protected environments. This study investigated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) and benzylaminopurine (BAP) on growth, yield, and nutrient components in greenhouse-grown yellow cherry tomatoes. Treatments included foliar applications of GA3 (25, 50, and 75 mgL- 1) and BAP (50 and 100 mgL- 1), sprayed on plant leaves at 14, 28, and 42 days after transplanting, before the flowering stage. GA3 at 75 mgL- 1 enhanced stem diameter (11.31 mm), branch number (22), and fruit biomass (1.13 g/fruit), raising yield by 93.8% over control, while BAP produced the highest yield increase (108.4%). Also, BAP increased chlorophyll content and leaf micronutrient retention (e.g., zinc: 0.859 mg kg-1). Fruit nitrogen and protein peaked under GA3 25 mgL- 1 (3.15% N, 19.66% protein), whereas higher GA3 concentrations prioritized biomass over nutrient density. BAP reduced fruit shape index (1.49-1.64) and increased total soluble solids (TSS). Cytokinin-auxin interplay differentially regulates source-sink nutrient partitioning, with GA3 promoting vegetative nitrogen assimilation and BAP enhancing phloem-mediated micronutrient stabilization. These findings demonstrate that optimizing GA3 and BAP concentrations can balance yield and nutritional quality, providing actionable strategies for improving greenhouse cultivation of yellow cherry tomatoes.