Effect of soil amendments on phenolic composition of tomato fruits
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Biology and Chemistry
Institution
Kentucky State University
KY House District #
57
KY Senate District #
7
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Dr. George Antonious
Department
Department of Biology
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Tomatoes are an important worldwide food source grown for consumption in nearly every country of the world. Phenolic compounds in tomato fruits are significant elements important for human health owing to their antioxidant properties. Studies have consistently linked tomato based phenolic compounds with lower rates of cancer and lower serum cholesterol. Studies have also examined beneficial effects of various phenolic compounds on human health and their impact on the deleterious effects of herbivore insects and some fungi. Increasing the total phenolic content of tomatoes through manipulations of the agricultural environment, particularly using animal manure as fertilizer is the focus of this investigation. At harvest, reprehensive samples of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. Marglobe) fruits of plants grown in 42 experimental plots were collected for determination of their total phenols composition. The treatments were chicken manure, horse manure, sewage sludge, yard waste compost, worm castings, inorganic fertilizer and organic commercial fertilizers (replicated three times). The experimental plots were replicated with 10% biochar mixed with each of the seven treatments to make 42 plots (7 treatments × 3 replicates × 2 biochar and no-biochar plots). Using the Folin-Ciocalteau method for total phenols determination, our results showed that the concentration of total phenols in tomato fruits of plants grown in soil amended with sewage sludge mixed with biochar was significantly greater (4.4 µg/g fresh fruits) compared to soil amended with sewage sludge only (3.2 µg/g fresh fruits). These results indicate the role of biochar in increasing total phenols in tomato. Learning how soils amendments can affect total phenols in tomatoes will be a key for future research on exploring low cost, organic agricultural methods for developing healthy food and insect resistant agricultural products.
Key Words: Biochar, Horse manure, Chicken manure, Sewage sludge, Organic fertilizer, Inorganic fertilizer
Effect of soil amendments on phenolic composition of tomato fruits
ABSTRACT
Tomatoes are an important worldwide food source grown for consumption in nearly every country of the world. Phenolic compounds in tomato fruits are significant elements important for human health owing to their antioxidant properties. Studies have consistently linked tomato based phenolic compounds with lower rates of cancer and lower serum cholesterol. Studies have also examined beneficial effects of various phenolic compounds on human health and their impact on the deleterious effects of herbivore insects and some fungi. Increasing the total phenolic content of tomatoes through manipulations of the agricultural environment, particularly using animal manure as fertilizer is the focus of this investigation. At harvest, reprehensive samples of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. Marglobe) fruits of plants grown in 42 experimental plots were collected for determination of their total phenols composition. The treatments were chicken manure, horse manure, sewage sludge, yard waste compost, worm castings, inorganic fertilizer and organic commercial fertilizers (replicated three times). The experimental plots were replicated with 10% biochar mixed with each of the seven treatments to make 42 plots (7 treatments × 3 replicates × 2 biochar and no-biochar plots). Using the Folin-Ciocalteau method for total phenols determination, our results showed that the concentration of total phenols in tomato fruits of plants grown in soil amended with sewage sludge mixed with biochar was significantly greater (4.4 µg/g fresh fruits) compared to soil amended with sewage sludge only (3.2 µg/g fresh fruits). These results indicate the role of biochar in increasing total phenols in tomato. Learning how soils amendments can affect total phenols in tomatoes will be a key for future research on exploring low cost, organic agricultural methods for developing healthy food and insect resistant agricultural products.
Key Words: Biochar, Horse manure, Chicken manure, Sewage sludge, Organic fertilizer, Inorganic fertilizer