Prolonged exposure to atmospheric nitrogen dioxide increases fruit yield of tomato plants

• Takahashi Misa

  Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University

• Sakamoto Atsushi

  Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University

• Ezura Hiroshi

  Gene Research Center, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba

• Morikawa Hiromichi

  Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University

Abstract

Prolonged exposure of plants to a sufficient level of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) activates the uptake and metabolism of nutrients that fuel plant growth and development, a phenomenon termed the plant vitalization effect of NO₂. This study examined the effect of NO₂ on the fruit yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Micro-Tom). Double exposure chambers, designated ±NO₂ chambers, were placed in a confined greenhouse. The air entering the −NO₂ chamber was scrubbed of nitrogen oxides including NO₂, and the air entering the +NO₂ chamber was supplemented with NO₂ (50 ± 10 ppb). Two-week-old tomato seedlings that had been grown in the −NO₂ chamber after sowing were then grown in a +NO₂ or −NO₂ chamber for the remainder of the growth period until 96 days after sowing. Growth in the +NO₂ chamber led to a significant increase in fruit yield of approximately 40% as compared to growth in the −NO₂ chamber. This increase in fruit yield was accompanied by acceleration of flowering time by 3.2 days and an increase in flower number per plant of up to 60%. These results show that exposure to NO₂ increases fruit yield via stimulation of flowering in tomato.

Journal

• Plant Biotechnology

  Plant Biotechnology 28 (5), 485-487, 2011

  Japanese Society for Plant Biotechnology

Keywords

• Flowering
• fruit yield
• Micro-Tom
• nitrogen dioxide
• tomato

Details

• CRID: 1390001204329194496
• NII Article ID: 10030304072
• NII Book ID: AA11250821
• DOI: 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.11.0819a
• ISSN: 13476114
• ISSN: 13424580
• NDL BIB ID: 023386187
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I023386187
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed