Antibiotic effects on seed germination and root development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Antibiotics are emerging pollutants released into the environment through wastewater and manure or effluents from livestock plants. Compared to the wide literature on the effects of antibiotics on the development of drug-resistant bacteria and on the adverse effects on animals and human beings, the effects on plants are less investigated. Here we evaluated the effects of four antibiotics (cloramphenicol: CAP, spiramycin: SPR, spectinomycin: SPT, vancomycin: VAN) belonging to different chemical groups, on seed germination and root development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. San Marzano). Specifically, seed germination and root elongation kinetics, as well as the number of mithotic figures in root apical meristem, were studied in relation to different concentrations of each antibiotic (0, 0.1, 1, 10, 100, 1000 mg L−1) for 10 and 7 days, respectively. Results showed that seed germination was not affected, but root development (root elongation kinetics and cell division) was impaired at concentrations from 10 mg L−1 (SPT) and 100 mg L−1 (CAP) to 1000 mg L−1 (SPR and VAN).