Biochemical Studies on Aluminum Toxicity in Tomato Plants

Tomato is a widely consumed common vegetable crop world over. Due to increasing environmental pollution and acidification of soils, Aluminium becomes solubilized and thus exerts considerable toxic effects on tomato crop. In this study, reduced seed germination and tomato plant growth was noticed under Al stress. Increased oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, proline content but reduced glutathione content was noticed. Increasing Al concentration in the nutrient solutions exerted deleterious effects on plant calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus levels and also caused root DNA damage. However, some cultivars have showed relative tolerance than other cultivars to Al toxicity. Salicylic acid and citric acid were found to exert considerable ameliorative effects on Al-treated tomato cultivars.