EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Tomato growers facing increasingly salty soil may soon have a new tool to help keep crops productive, according to a study led by a University of Texas at El Paso researcher.<\/p>\n
The research suggests a leaf spray made with naturally derived materials could help tomato plants withstand salt stress that can otherwise limit growth and reduce yields. <\/p>\n
Hamidreza Sharifan, Ph.D., an assistant professor of chemistry at UTEP and the study\u2019s corresponding author, said high salt levels in soil can stop plant roots from absorbing water, become toxic to plants, trigger nutrient deficiencies and cut crop productivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cSalinity is one of the most pressing threats to global food security, and growers need solutions they can actually put to use in the field,\u201d Dr. Sharifan said.<\/p>\n
Sharifan said soil salinity affects more than 3.2 million square miles of land globally and threatens 20% to 30% of the world\u2019s irrigated cropland, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.<\/p>\n
To address the problem, researchers tested the spray on tomato plants exposed to moderate and severe salt stress. Tomatoes were chosen because they are among the most widely grown vegetables worldwide.<\/p>\n
The treatment pairs manganese oxide nanoparticles with chitosan, a natural biopolymer derived from crustacean shells, in a solution applied directly to plant leaves. <\/p>\n
In greenhouse trials, the two-part spray substantially reversed damage caused by salty soil, the researchers said, pointing to what they described as an affordable and sustainable option for farmland degraded by salinity.<\/p>\n
Under the harshest conditions, UTEP researchers said the combined treatment increased root weight by more than 55% compared with untreated, stressed plants. <\/p>\n
Researchers also reported the spray restored photosynthetic pigments, raising carotenoid levels by roughly 91%, and lowered chemical markers of cellular damage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat makes this approach exciting is that it is low-cost, sustainable and effective at very small doses,\u201d Sharifan said. \u201cWe are giving plants the tools to protect themselves instead of fighting the salt head-on.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, researchers cautioned that the results were produced under controlled greenhouse conditions and said field trials will be needed to confirm how the spray performs at scale.<\/p>\n
According to the UTEP researchers, future studies will also examine long-term effects on soil health and environmental safety.<\/p>\n
The study was published in the International Journal of Phytoremediation. <\/p>\n
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