Living existence postulate elements to develop properly . The work of ionomics criterion and analyses the element accumulations in living organisms to watch which mineral nutrients are required and not required for increase . Associate Professor Toshihiro Watanabe from Hokkaido University ’s Research Faculty of Agriculture applies this coming to take about mineral collection in both plant and soil , in addition to inter - element interaction .
Associate Professor Toshihiro Watanabe .
“ In general , flora require 17 elements to flourish . Some of these , such as carbon , H , and O are plentiful in atmosphere , territory , and piss . The other elements may need to be furnish through fertiliser and other supplements , ” explained Watanabe who is working in the Laboratory of Plant Nutrients .
To analyse the elemental composition of any flora , the Research Faculty of Agriculture is equipped with an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry ( ICP - MS ) instrument . This equipment is used to ionize the samples and discover the absorption of metals , metalloids , and nonmetal elements .
By utilizing this technique , Watanabe ’s research laboratory has successfully establish multiple collaborations , including an international research projection concluded in 2007 . In the 2007 report , Watanabe and his enquiry team pile up over 2,000 leaf samples , representing 670 metal money and 138 families of plants find throughout Japan . The upshot show trend and rule in mineral accumulation in these plants .
Non - essential elements“Some elements provided by soil are look out over as being non - essential for industrial plant . In many cases , however , those non - essential ingredient can stimulate problems . For example , cadmium in Earth ’s encrustation is toxic for plant and for human health , if consumed . Other job that may occur include a decrease in crop output and contamination of the edible portion . Therefore , it is necessary to measure and defend land ’s chemical element through proper fertilization , ” said Watanabe .
However , what are define as all-important and non - all-important constituent disagree across plant miscellanea . One of Watanabe ’s enquiry involvement is focused on Melastoma ( Melastoma malabathricum ) , a plant native to tropical areas in the Southeast Asia region . This plant thrives in acid soil , which makes it a peculiar showcase consider that acidic dirt generally assail roots , stymie plant growth . Watanabe expects that the high amount of aluminum the plant contains plays an significant role in making it tolerant to powerfully acidic soils .
Melastoma , hydroponically grown from mature plant cutting off in the school day ’s greenhouse . ( Bottom - leave behind and right photos by Toshihiro Watanabe )
“ We are concerned not only with wild plants , but also with vegetable , particularly the mineral content of both the edible and non - edible constituent . It is very important to know what element are arrest in our food to suit our diet , ” said Watanabe . “ For instance , our findings show that komatsuna and bok choy contain higher zinc concentration , which is beneficial for human health . On the other hand , we find out that unripened Allium cepa contains small zinc concentrations . ”
Selective breedingBy using ionomics , Watanabe showed that toxic element are not as taken up across cultivar ; different cultivars take up component at different rates . Moreover , part of a plant have different absorption horizontal surface of elements . Watanabe ’s finding find toxic elements for human in some commonly eaten parts of common vegetables . Selective breeding of these cultivars can serve to cut toxic element engrossment .
moreover , ionomics program on plants could be used to understand a flora ’s physiology . Differences in the inorganic factor of plants could extend to different physiologic status . Watanabe carry mineral profiling of two Lycopersicon esculentum cultivars affected by a plant disorderliness visit Blossom - End Rot ( BER ) .
“ BER is cross off by the rotting of the bottom part of a fruit and has been do a decrement in tomato yield . Its occurrent is often pertain to calcium lack in the fruit , but our findings suggested that this was not always the case ; even though we cater enough calcium through fertilization in the field of operations , BER still go on , ” explain Watanabe .
Watanabe did not negate calcium want as a factor in this physiologic disorder , but his finding suggested that other agent , such as transport of potassium , contribute to the decomposition . Research on this topic is still on-going .
Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum cv . M82 ) indicate BER symptom . ( Photo by Manami Kawamoto )
piss , light , and other factors that kick in to the mineral conveyance of flora from rootage to the other parts also should not be ignored . In fact , Watanabe was also involve in a collaborative projection to examine the salt margin of Elmer Rice miscellanea raise in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam . In these areas , the stain has tight tangency with seawater thus exposing the risk of high salinity for the plant .
A abode - gardener himself , Watanabe admitted that gardening is a foxy practice , particularly if one need to obtain product with safe tang . “ From my personal experience of growing spinach plant , I come to the finish that maintaining the pH grade of the filth is very important . Here in Japan , most of the soils are acidic soils : they ask a unremitting supply of calcium hydroxide to increase the pH level in gain to optimal fertilization for a good output . ”
For more information : Hokkaido Universitywww.hokudai.ac.jp
