TITLE:
Multielemental Microanalysis in Root and Leaves, Growth and Biomass in Tomato Seedling in Response to Ca Levels and Induction of Stress: Non-Destructive Spectroscopy
AUTHORS:
Omar A. Pérez-Dueñas, Fanny Hernández-Mendoza, Víctor García-Gaytán, Soledad García-Morales
KEYWORDS:
Microanalysis, Nutrient Solution, Calcium, Root, Leaves, Stem
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.11 No.6,
June
24,
2021
ABSTRACT: Tomatoes are one of the main vegetables in the food industry that are consumed fresh and processed. A multi-element microanalysis was performed with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), to see changes in nutrient concentration in roots and leaves, as well as fresh and dry biomass in tomato seedlings. Exposed in nutrient solution (NS) with different levels of Ca (control, 25, 50 and 100 mM). The root was put in also to H2O2 for 8 hours to observe the changes that occurred. It was observed that NS with 100 mM Ca in fresh stem biomass and fresh leaf biomass increased by 25% and 38% compared to the control. It was observed that the NS with 100 and 50 mM of Ca, the content of Ca and Cl in foliar tissue increased by 34.50% and 13.15% compared to the control. Treatment with H2O2 and with 25 and 100 mM of Ca at NS increased the height of the seedling and fresh leaf bio-mass by 19.75% and 60.80% compared to the control. The treatment with H2O2 and with the different levels of Ca in the NS increased the content of C, P, K, Ca and Cl in the leaf tissue. Only S was significant for the control. Treatment with H2O2 and 100 mM Ca in the NS increased Ca and Mg by 83.48% and 40.47% for the root compared to the control. The K and Cl in the root was higher in the control treatment by 47.61% and 55% respect to the highest level of Ca. It is concluded that multielemental microanalysis is a powerful, non-destructive, fast and accurate tool for the determination of plant nutrients. Also, it is applicable for the areas like horticulture, physiology and agronomy.