Microcystins are cyclic heptapeptides hepatotoxins produced by aquatic cyanobacteria such as Microcystis aeruginosa. The wide occurrence of toxic microcystins in freshwater is a threat to water quality and health of living organisms. Here, we irrigated an agricultural soil daily with a cyanobacterial extract diluted at environmental concentrations of microcystin–leucine–arginine, from 0.005 to 0.1 mg equivalent MC-LR L−1, for 90 days. We analyzed the impact on the growth and physiology of tomato, Solanum lycopersicum cultivar MicroTom. Our results show a stimulation of the tomato plant development, in terms of inflorescence and blooming, after exposure to the lowest concentration, of 0.005 mg eq. MC-LR L−1, during the 40 first days post-germination. That effect was not apparently associated with physiological disturbances of the tomato plants.
CITATION STYLE
Corbel, S., Bouaïcha, N., Nélieu, S., & Mougin, C. (2015). Soil irrigation with water and toxic cyanobacterial microcystins accelerates tomato development. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 13(4), 447–452. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-015-0518-2
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