Plant Growth, Yields and Fruit Quality of Processing Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) as Affected by the Combination of Biodegradable Mulching and Digestate

In order to improve environmental sustainability of tomato cultivation and the quality harvested fruits, we tested (a) digestate from anaerobic fermentation buffalo slurries as partial replacing NP fertilizers (b) biodegradable mulching nutrients water availability for crop control weeds. 2017–2018, a private farm Campania region hosted trial with four treatments deriving combination two experimental factors: (1) fertilization strategy (standard NPK vs. combined reduced rates fertilizers); (2) soil (biodegradable no mulching). We measured fresh dry aboveground biomass (fruits stem + leaves), yields, fruits quality. Results pointed out: did not decrease yields compared complete mineral fertilization; were improved in 2017 by synergic effects fertilizers; (3) both years, determined significant improving parameters interesting processing industry, namely, fruit color, firmness, total soluble solids, titratable acidity while antioxidant activity, contents ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, lycopene showed responses variable year or cultivar.