We propose a form of gravity–matter interaction given by $$\omega RT$$ ω R T in the framework of f(R, T) gravity and examine the effect of such interaction in spherically symmetric compact stars. Treating the gravity–matter coupling as a perturbative term on the background of Starobinsky gravity, we develop a perturbation theory for equilibrium configurations. For illustration, we take the case of quark stars and explore their various stellar properties. We find that the gravity–matter coupling causes an increase in the stable maximal mass which is relevant for recent observations on binary pulsars.

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