Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon

Abstract This study focused on the toxic effects of boron (B) on the growth and micronutrient composition of melon plants. The seedlings were grown in pots with different concentrations of B (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg B/kg soil) for 30 days. Plant height, seedling fresh and dry weight, leaf number, a...

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Main Author: Gamze Kaya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02136-2
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author Gamze Kaya
author_facet Gamze Kaya
author_sort Gamze Kaya
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study focused on the toxic effects of boron (B) on the growth and micronutrient composition of melon plants. The seedlings were grown in pots with different concentrations of B (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg B/kg soil) for 30 days. Plant height, seedling fresh and dry weight, leaf number, area, temperature, dry matter, chlorophyll index (Chl), relative water content (RWC), and cell membrane stability (CMS) were measured. B, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu in the shoots and soil B were determined. Increasing B linearly decreased plant height, while 20 mg B/kg stimulated fresh weight, leaf number, and area. However, seedling growth was inhibited at concentrations higher than 40 mg B/kg. The RWC and Chl were not changed between the control and 60 mg B/kg. Conversely, applying 20 or 40 mg B/kg improved the CMS. Increasing B caused a linear increase in B in plant tissues while disturbing the ionic balance with Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu. It was concluded that increasing B caused a detrimental reduction in Chl, RWC, CMS, and Fe concentration, whereas the leaf temperature increased, resulting in the inhibition of root, stem, and leaf growth in melon plants.
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spelling doaj-art-01ff3c780c1540928084b2d5a3c2b69c2025-08-20T03:53:58ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-011511810.1038/s41598-025-02136-2Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melonGamze Kaya0Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali UniversityAbstract This study focused on the toxic effects of boron (B) on the growth and micronutrient composition of melon plants. The seedlings were grown in pots with different concentrations of B (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg B/kg soil) for 30 days. Plant height, seedling fresh and dry weight, leaf number, area, temperature, dry matter, chlorophyll index (Chl), relative water content (RWC), and cell membrane stability (CMS) were measured. B, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu in the shoots and soil B were determined. Increasing B linearly decreased plant height, while 20 mg B/kg stimulated fresh weight, leaf number, and area. However, seedling growth was inhibited at concentrations higher than 40 mg B/kg. The RWC and Chl were not changed between the control and 60 mg B/kg. Conversely, applying 20 or 40 mg B/kg improved the CMS. Increasing B caused a linear increase in B in plant tissues while disturbing the ionic balance with Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu. It was concluded that increasing B caused a detrimental reduction in Chl, RWC, CMS, and Fe concentration, whereas the leaf temperature increased, resulting in the inhibition of root, stem, and leaf growth in melon plants.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02136-2Cucumis melo L.BoronToxicityIon balanceElectrolyte leakage
spellingShingle Gamze Kaya
Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
Scientific Reports
Cucumis melo L.
Boron
Toxicity
Ion balance
Electrolyte leakage
title Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
title_full Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
title_fullStr Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
title_full_unstemmed Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
title_short Boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
title_sort boron toxicity affects plant growth by destroying the cell membrane stability and micronutrient balance in melon
topic Cucumis melo L.
Boron
Toxicity
Ion balance
Electrolyte leakage
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02136-2
work_keys_str_mv AT gamzekaya borontoxicityaffectsplantgrowthbydestroyingthecellmembranestabilityandmicronutrientbalanceinmelon