Abstract
The use of unconventional water sources, such as those from marine desalination plants, is challenging for agriculture due to boron concentrations exceeding 0.5 mg L−1, which can impact crop yield and quality. To ensure sustainability, it is crucial to understand crop responses to high boron levels and to develop strategies to mitigate its toxic effects. This study evaluated the impact of irrigation with a nutrient solution containing 15 mg L−1 of boron on tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.). To modulate the physiological effects of boron toxicity, two biostimulant products based on an extract from the brown alga Laminaria digitata and other active ingredients were applied foliarly. Agronomic, nutritional, and metabolic parameters were analyzed, including total yield, number of fruits per plant, and fruit quality. Additionally, mineral analysis and metabolomic profiling of leaves and fruits were performed, focusing on amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and other metabolites. A control treatment was irrigated with a nutrient solution containing 0.25 mg L−1 of boron. The results showed that a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1 significantly reduced total yield by 45% and significantly decreased fruit size and firmness. Mineral and metabolomic analyses showed significant reductions in Mg and Ca concentrations, significant increases in P and Zn levels, excessive boron accumulation in leaves and fruits, and significant changes in metabolites associated with nitrogen metabolism and the Krebs cycle. Biostimulant application did not significantly improve agronomic performance, likely due to high boron accumulation in the leaves, although significant changes were detected in leaf nutritional status and metabolic profiles.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
High boron irrigation reduced tomato total yield by 45% relative to the control.
- Taxon
- Tomato Plants
Solanum lycopersicumt0 - Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e0
- Outcome
- total yielde0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 45%e0
- Comparator
- 0.25 mg L−1 of borone1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1 significantly reduced total yield by 45%”
e1“A control treatment was irrigated with a nutrient solution containing 0.25 mg L−1 of boron.”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
High boron significantly decreased tomato fruit size and firmness.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e1
- Outcome
- fruit size and firmnesse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significantly decreased fruit size and firmness”
e1“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
High boron significantly reduced tomato Mg and Ca concentrations.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e1
- Outcome
- Mg and Ca concentrationse0
- Direction
- reductionse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant reductions in Mg and Ca concentrations”
e1“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
High boron significantly increased tomato P and Zn levels.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e1
- Outcome
- P and Zn levelse0
- Direction
- increasese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant increases in P and Zn levels”
e1“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
High boron caused excessive boron accumulation in tomato leaves and fruits.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Organ / stage
- leaves and fruitse0
- Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e1
- Outcome
- boron accumulatione0
- Direction
- excessivee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“excessive boron accumulation in leaves and fruits”
e1“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
High boron significantly changed metabolites associated with nitrogen metabolism and the Krebs cycle.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- boron concentration of 15 mg L−1e1
- Outcome
- metabolites associated with nitrogen metabolism and the Krebs cyclee0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant changes in metabolites associated with nitrogen metabolism and the Krebs cycle”
e1“a boron concentration of 15 mg L−1”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulants did not significantly improve tomato agronomic performance.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Biostimulant applicatione0
- Outcome
- agronomic performancee0
- Direction
- did not significantly improvee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Biostimulant application did not significantly improve agronomic performance”
t0“Tomato Plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Biostimulants significantly changed tomato leaf nutritional status and metabolic profiles.
- Taxon
- Tomato PlantsSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Biostimulant applicatione1
- Outcome
- leaf nutritional status and metabolic profilese0
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“significant changes were detected in leaf nutritional status and metabolic profiles”
e1“Biostimulant application”
t0“Tomato Plants”
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