Changes in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) physiology by calcium deficiency

摘要

Calcium deficiency was induced in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) cv. PPL by growing the plants till maturity in refined sand at two deficient (0.05 and 2.0 meq/litre) and an adequate (8.0 meq/litre) level of calcium. Plants grown at low Ca (0.05 meq/litre) developed visible effects (48 days after sowing) as irregular chlorotic lesion on young leaves, which increased in size, coalesced and formed bigger patches. Later, these symptoms gradually proceeded downward. Calcium deficiency depressed the growth of brinjal, flower and fruit formation. The fruits were smaller, deformed, reduced in weight, lengty, width and volume. The biomass, concentration of calcium in leaves and fruits, concentration of calcium in leaves and fruits, contents of chlorophylls, sugars and starch were reduced and that of concentration of phenols and nitrate nitrogen increased significantly in calcium deficient brinjal. Low calcium also decreased the activity of peroxidase, ATPase, invertase and alpha-amylase in brinjal leaves