Effects of long-term simulated microgravity on tomato seedlings

Abstract

Xu, D., Guo, S. and Liu, M. 2014. Effects of long-term simulated microgravity on tomato seedlings. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 273-280. Whether plants can adapt to a long-term microgravity environment is crucial to their reproduction in bioregenerative life-support systems in space. This research investigated the effects of simulated microgravity on Lycopersivon esculentum Mill. (cv. Dwarf Red-bell). Several indicators, namely germination ratio, percentage of cell membrane damage, malondialdehyde content (MDA), superoxide anion () content, and mininucleolus, were observed 10, 20, 30, and 40 d after planting (DAP). Simulated microgravity [random positioning machine (RPM) treatment] barely had any effect on germination ratio, but it increased MDA, an index indicating membrane lipid peroxidation. Random positioning machine-treated samples had significantly higher content until 16 DAP, but these differences ceased after 21 DAP. Simulated microgravity damaged cell membranes, and the damage severity was positively r...