Exogenously applied glutamic acid confers improved yield through increased photosynthesis efficiency and antioxidant defense system under chilling stress condition in Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Dotaerang Dia

•Glutamic acid pretreatment has an ameliorative effect on reduced photosynthetic efficiency in tomato leaves under chilling stress conditions.•The decrease of Pn value cannot be attributed to stomatal limitations.•Expression of cold-induced CBF genes in tomato was suppressed by glutamic acid pretreatment under chilling stress conditions.•Increased level of MDA by chilling stress is attenuated by glutamic acid pretreatment.