Italian scientists discovered that diluted seawater can be used to grow tomatoes well, resulting to fruits with significantly higher levels of natural antioxidants.

"The controlled use of alternative water resources, such as diluted seawater, could be a valid tool to face drought in the Mediterranean region.

Our results show that the antioxidant-related nutritional value of tomatoes is significantly improved when the fruits are picked at the red-ripe stage and when the plants are exposed to moderate salinity stress conditions, such as those determined by the application of diluted seawater (10 percent)."

Study results will appear in the April 4 issue of American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

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