Growth and Physiological Changes in Bitter-Gourd Plants Grown with Variable Calcium Supply in Sand Culture

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bitter-gourd (Momordica charantia L.) cv. ‘Jhallari’ plants were grown in refined sand at graded levels of calcium (Ca) supply ranging from acute deficiency (0.02 mM) to excess (8 mM). Apart from the production of characteristic visible symptoms of the respective stresses, deficient (< 4 mM) or excess (8mM) supply of Ca restricted plant biomass and fruit yield. In leaves, the concentration of chlorophyll, Hill reaction activity and the activities of catalase, peroxidase, acid invertase, ATPase, and α-amylase were reduced, but the activity of acid phosphatase was increased by deficiency of Ca. Excess Ca (8 mM) supply significantly reduced the concentration of chlorophyll, Hill reaction activity and the activity of catalase and increased the specific activities of peroxidase, acid invertase, ATPase, α -amylase, and acid phosphatase. Tissue concentration of Ca in leaves and fruits increased with increase in Ca supply from 0.02 to 8 mM. Tissue concentrations in young leaves representing the thresholds of deficiency or toxicity of Ca are found to be 1.12 and 1.98%, respectively. The critical tissue concentration in these leaves suggestive of severe deficiency of Ca is 0.85%.