Minneapolis (PRWEB) March 13, 2008
We all know tomatoes are among the top food source for vitamin A and the powerful antioxidant lycopene. Now, studies have shown it's possible to grow tomatoes that provide even more of these beneficial nutrients by simply adding oxygen to the water you provide them.
In studies conducted by Dr. Albert H. (Bud) Markhart, a member of the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota, super-oxygenated irrigation enhanced productivity, improved overall fruit size, and increased levels of vitamin A/beta carotene and the antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes.
The tomatoes tested were from two growing locations and analyzed at two independent laboratories. Plants at one location were greenhouse grown and hand watered. Plants at the second location were grown outdoors in a high tunnel and watered through drip irrigation. One set of plants at each location were watered with super-oxygenated water. The hand watered trial used water produced by the Enki™ Watering Device. The drip irrigation location used a flow-through Enki™ System. The control groups were watered from a municipal tap water source at the greenhouse location and from a rural well water source at the outdoor trial.
Fruit grown with super-oxygenated water at both locations analyzed by either laboratory had higher levels of vitamin A/beta carotene. Pooling all data, the super-oxygenated grown plants produced fruit with about a 25 percent greater concentration of vitamin A/beta carotene than plants irrigated with control water.
Lycopene was analyzed from fruit from the final harvest. Care was taken to select a minimum of three fruit of equal ripeness from both treatments. The tomato fruit from the super-oxygenated irrigated plants had 63 percent more trans-lycopene than fruit from the control plants.
Why is this important?
Tomatoes are an important source of vitamin A/beta carotene and lycopene in a balanced diet. In addition to the general anti-oxidant activity, vitamin A plans a vital role in eye health maintaining a clear cornea and sensitive retina. Low vitamin A results in night blindness. Severe deficiency is one of the principle causes of childhood blindness in developing countries. Vitamin A also plays important roles in the immune system.
Beta-carotene is important because it is a precursor to vitamin A. The body rapidly converts beta-carotene to vitamin A.
Lycopene is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants in our diet. In fact, some researchers believe lycopene may be valuable in preventing and slowing the growth of cancers of the prostate, lung and stomach. These scientists describe lycopene as a powerful antioxidant, a compound that blocks the action of activated oxygen molecules - known as free radicals - that can damage cells. The antioxidant activity of lycopene is at least twice as great as beta carotene, another carotenoid that is also thought to be an effective cancer-preventing nutrient.
About the Enki™ Super-oxygenating Watering Device
This astonishing watering device delivers super-oxygenated water to plant roots - naturally. The patented water-electrolysis technology supplies up to 50 percent more oxygen than rainwater in just 30 minutes. More oxygen means healthier roots, resulting in improved plant strength and health, as well as an increase in the number of flowers and the yield of your fruit and vegetables. The Enki is available at independent garden centers nationwide or at http://www.MyEnki.com.
About Ovation Science
The Enki is developed by Chanhassen, Minn.-based Ovation Science, Inc. (http://www.ovationscience.com), which seeks to provide innovative, green-focused gardening solutions worldwide. The Enki™ watering device is the company's first consumer product offering, but its patented super-oxygenating technology will be the basis of a variety of other consumer, commercial and industrial gardening products in the months and years to come.
For more information contact:
suzanne.duecker @ ovationscience.com