Growth and biochemical characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) treated with tannery effluent

Abstract

The current research work showed the effect of tannery effluent at different concentrations on the growth, pigment and biochemical characteristics of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). The results of this study revealed that growth parameters, such as shoot length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, and leaf area, of both experimental plants significantly declined as tannery effluent concentration increased compared with the water control. Similar substantial decreases were also observed in photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, anthocyanin, and carotenoid, compared with the control plants. The results also showed that biochemical parameters, such as total soluble sugar, soluble protein, free amino acids, L-proline, and nitrate levels in the leaves decreased as the quantity of tannery effluent increased. Toxic metal deposition on roots, cell division and elongation retardation, or disruption of cellular metabolism by tannery effluent are all possible causes of the decrease in overall morphometric and biochemical parameters of tomato and sorghum.