earticle

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In order to cope with the huge demand for tomato in various industries, its production has to be optimized using novel approaches. Heavy metals present in soil such as arsenic can potentially affect its growth and quality, and may induce oxidative stress on it by producing free radicals that damage its cells. In this study, the effect of arsenic on the leaves of Solanum lycopersicum was quantified in terms of hydrogen peroxide, which is directly involved in the degradation of eukaryotic cells when there is oxidative stress. Tomato seeds grown in an ambient temperature of approximately 29°C were exposed to 5 pM arsenic trioxide for 7 days before shoot length was measured and leaves were tested for hydrogen peroxide content spectrophotometrically. Results showed that As-treated plants reached an average height of 9.92 em while control plants reached 11.03 em. Hydrogen peroxide in the leaves is found to be relatively higher on the arsenic-treated plants than on control plants. The former was found to have an H202 concentration of0.257 pM, compared to the 0.15 pM ofthe control. This difference in hydrogen peroxide relates to a 0. 008 p -value in ANOVA and shows that it is significant. Plant physiology may be impeded when exposed to high concentrations of this metal. It is concluded that arsenic contamination inhibits plant growth and induces oxidative stress in the leaf tissue of tomato plants.