Integrative effects of irrigation and aeration on root morphology, yield, and quality of tomatoes cultivated in coastal saline-alkali lands.

Poor soil structure and aeration in coastal saline-alkaline lands severely constrain crop productivity. This study evaluated the efficacy of aerated drip irrigation in improving tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation under these conditions. A field experiment compared aerated (A1) and non-aerated (A0) irrigation across three water levels: severe deficit (W1, 0.6 Ep), mild deficit (W2, 0.8 Ep), and full irrigation (W3, 1.0 Ep), where Ep represents cumulative pan evaporation. Relative to conventional irrigation, aeration significantly improved plant performance by promoting root development, which supported enhanced canopy growth and a higher net photosynthetic rate. The A1W3 treatment produced the highest yield (1561.6 g plant⁻¹), a 22.70% increase over the non‑aerated full irrigation control, while also improving fruit quality attributes including lycopene and vitamin C contents. Principal component analysis identified A1W3 as the most effective strategy under our experimental conditions for integrated yield and quality. These results indicate that aerated drip irrigation offers a practical approach to enhance tomato production in marginal coastal regions.