CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Tomatoes are one of the agricultural commodities that are very

beneficial for our body because they contain vitamins and minerals we need

for growth and health. Tomatoes contain carbohydrates, protein, fat and

calories (Wiryanta, 2004).

As a source of minerals, tomatoes can be useful for bone and tooth

development (calcium and phosphorus), while iron (Fe) contained in

tomatoes can function for the formation of red blood cells or hemoglobin.

Besides, tomatoes contain potassium which is very useful for reducing

symptoms of high blood pressure (Cahyono, 2005).

Demand for tomato commodities will continue to increase along with

increasing population and public awareness of the importance of health. But

with the increase in demand for tomato commodities, farmers will have

difficulties in cultivation, due to lack of fertilizer supply in Indonesia

(Cahyono, 2005).

Plant cultivation is determined by two main factors, which are genetic

factors and environmental factors. One environmental factor that greatly

determines the rate of growth, development and production of a plant is the

availability of sufficient nutrients in the soil. Among the 105 elements that

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are on the surface of the earth, it turns out that only 16 elements are needed

for a plant to be able to complete its life cycle perfectly. The 16 elements

consist of 9 macroelements and 7 microelements. These 9 macroelements and

7 microelements are called essential elements.

Every plant needs nutrients as its food, as well as tomatoes. If it is

assumed that the media does not contain nutrients, then the nutrient needs are

given through fertilization. The macronutrient needs of plants can be obtained

from urea, TPS, and KCL. The microelements that plants needed are Mg, Co,

Fe, Zn, B, and Cl-. Besides these macronutrients and micronutrients, there are

additional elements that are beneficial for several types of plants, one of them

is Na+ .

Na is known as an additional ingredient for several types of plants.

According to Wild and Jones (1988) in Jumberi (2006), the effect of Na will

be very large if K+ supply for plants is insufficient. Furthermore, this element

can reduce the effect caused by K+ deficiency but cannot replace the K+

function completely. In the context of photosyntesis, Na+ is an essential

element for plants classified as C4 and CAM. The importance of Na for both

types of plants regulation, and maintenance of turgor and for controlling

stomatal activity (Jumberi, 2006).

Sodium serves to maintain the water content in the leaves. Sodium also

can replace the element of Potassium (K +) if plants are lack elements of

Potassium (Ratna, 2007).

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 Therefore, the author is interested in writing paper entitled, “The Benefit

of Adding MSG on The Growth of Tomato Plants”.

1.2 Problem Formulation

Based on title and background of writing, it can be formulated three main

issues, there are :

1. How is the application of MSG solution on tomato plants?

2. How is the effect of adding MSG on tomato plant’s growth?

3. What is the effective concentration of MSG on the growth of tomato

plant?

1.3 The Research Purpose

The purpose of writing this paper is :

1. To know the application of MSG solution on tomato plants.

2. To know the effect of adding MSG on tomato plant’s growth.

3. To know the effective concentration of MSG on the growth of tomato

plants.

1.4 Time and Place of Research

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 This research was conducted on February-April 2019 at Jl. Serma Muchtar

Baru III RT. 05 RW. 05, Sumedang Utara Subdistrict, Sumedang Regency,

West Java.

1.5 Methods and Techniques of Research

To obtain the necessary data and information, the author collect it by :

1. Experimental Observation

The author makes a systematic observation and recording of the

prepared situation in such a way as to examine something being tried.

2. Literature Study

The author collects various data and information from various

sources, either from books, internet, or other sources.

1.6 Sistematic of Writing

The paper which entitled “The Benefit of Adding MSG on The Growth of

Tomato Plants” is divided into :

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION, which contains background, problem

formulation, the purpose of research, time and place of research, methods and

techniques of research, and systematic of writing.

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 CHAPTER II LITERATURE PREVIEW, which contains the definition of

MSG, the history of MSG, classification and morphology of tomato plants,

and condition for growing tomato plants.

CHAPTER III DISCUSSION, which contains the application of MSG

solution on the tomato plants, the effect of adding MSG on the growth of

tomato plants, and the effective consentration of MSG on the growth of

tomato plants.

CHAPTER IV CLOSING, which contains conclusions and suggestions.

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 MSG

MSG stands for Monosodium Glutamate. MSG is the result of purification

of glutamate or a combination of several amino acids with a small number of

peptides produced from the protein hydrolysis process (hydrolized vegetable

protein/HVP).

MSG has been consumed widely in the world including Indonesia in the

form of L-glutamic acid as a food enhancer. Based on 2013 Basic Health

Research, four out of five Indonesians consume MSG ≤ 1 time a day or

around 77.3%.

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 MSG itself has no taste. But when added to food, free glutamic acid is

formed which is captured by special receptors in the brain and presents the

basic taste in the food to be more delicious and savory.

Figure 2.1 The Chemical Structure of MSG

MSG is white crystalline flour that is easily soluble in water and does not

smell. MSG has a chemical formula C5H8NO4Na with a percentage of the

constituents contained in MSG, glutamate 78.2%, Na 12.2%, H2O 9.6%. In 1

gram MSG contains 0.122 Na.S

2.2 The History of MSG

In 1908, when Japanese chemist Ikeda Kikunae went looking for a way to

make healthy, bland food more palatable. He isolated an ingredient in sea

kelp that helped give konbu dashi, the ubiquitous Japanese broth, its flavor.

Ikeda also came up with the word umami—“tasty” in Japanese—to describe

MSG.

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 Ikeda’s invention came at a perfect time. Japan was pushing to compete

with the West in technological innovations. The country’s educated middle

class was excited about the new applications of modern science, including in

the kitchen.

The Suzuki Chemical Company aimed its product squarely at this market,

promoting its Ajinomoto brand MSG as a predictable, convenient,

scientifically proven product. By 1939, its use in home kitchens was so

common that one prominent Japanese chef said restaurant diners no longer

liked food without it.

Ajinomoto began marketing MSG in China in 1918, but it ran into resistance

from some who saw it as a symbol of Japanese imperialism. Chinese

companies developed their own brands of the additive, often marketing it

specifically as a vegetarian product appropriate for people who periodically

abstained from meat.

In the United States of the 1930s and ‘40s, white Americans were

beginning to visit Chinese restaurants, where the use of MSG was probably

widespread. At the same time, Ajinomoto made its way into processed

American foods like Campbell’s soup. While MSG never caught on as a home

kitchen ingredient in the U.S. the way it did in Japan and China, its role in the

industrialized food system here was huge. It was common, for example, to find

MSG in frozen and canned foods across the country.

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 Then came the 1960s, with the publication of Silent Spring and new

studies warning about possible carcinogenic effects of artificial sweeteners.

Americans increasingly questioned the use of food additives, including MSG.

The white powder was tied to “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome,” a set of

symptoms including numbness and palpitations some people experienced after

eating at Chinese restaurants in the U.S. Concerns about the health effects of

MSG emerged in Japan as well.

In response, Ajinomoto transformed its marketing, veering away from the

idea of a scientifically formulated product and toward natural imagery. At the

same time, it sponsored research that suggested umami was a previously

unrecognized fifth basic taste. The idea, Sand writes, was to push back against

“Bad Science” on chemical additives using “Good Science” focused on flavor.

While some studies have suggested real health hazards from MSG, the

scientific consensus today is that the stuff is probably safe. But whether we like

the idea of eating it probably still depends on whether we see it as a

scientifically engineered “chemical” or a source of naturally delicious umami.

2.3 Classification and Morphology of Tomato

According to Pracaya (1998) tomato plants can be classified as follows:

Kingdom : Plantae

Division : Spermatophyta

Clade : Angiosperms

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 Order : Solanales

Family : Solanaceae

Genus : Lycopersicon (Lycopersicum)

Species : Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.

Tomato plants are included as annual plants, which means that the age of

this plant is only one harvest period. After producing, then die. This plant is

in the form of shrubs with a height of up to 2m (Trisnawati and Setiawan,

2005)

Tomato stems are generally round and swollen. The young stem is hairy

and usually and there is a glandular, easily broken, can rise leaning on the

rope, but must be helped by several ties. (Wiryanta, 2004).

The leaves are green and hairy with a length of 20-30 cm and a width of

15-20 cm. Tomato leaves grow near the ends of branches or branches while

the sprigs are rounded elongated around 7-10 cm and thickness 0.3 - 0.5 cm

(Rismunandar, 2001)

When still young, tomatoes are green and hairy and relatively hard, after

being old, tomatoes are pink, red or yellow is bright and shiny, and relatively

soft. The tomato fruit forms are various: oval, flat, tapered and round. The

diameter of tomatoes is between 2-15 cm.

2.4 Conditions For Growing Tomato Plants

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 Tomato plants can grow in diverse environmental conditions. To obtain

optimal results, tomatoes need good environmental conditions. The

availability of light, water and nutrients is sufficient.

The optimal rainfall for tomato growth is 100-220 mm/rain with the

ideal daily temperature, which is 25°C-30°C. Very strong winds and a

prolonged rainy season are environmental conditions that do not support

tomato growth because it can cause twigs and branches to break easily. For

the flowering process, tomatoes need a nighttime temperature of around

15°C-20°C.

Tomato plants need soil that is loose, sandy, fertile, and contains a lot of

humus. To get good results, tomatoes need soil with acidity (soil pH) 5.5 -

6.5. For soil with a low pH (acid), additional dolomite lime (CaCO3) is

needed. Chalk is given at 3-4 weeks before planting by distributing it evenly

over the planting media (Agromedia, 2007).

CHAPTER III

DISCUSSION

3.1The Application of Adding MSG on Tomato Plants

Here are the procedures of adding MSG on Tomato Plants :

 Material :

1. 4 tomato plants

2. 1% MSG solution

3. 2% MSG solution

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 4. 3% MSG solution
 Tool :
Sprayer
 How to add MSG on tomato plants :
1. Pour the 1% MSG solution to sprayer.
2. Spray the 1% MSG solution directly on the leaves of tomato plant
labeled ‘1%’
3. Do the same experiment to 2% MSG solution and 3% MSG
solution.
Do the spraying every four days.
Based on the experiments that have been done, we can find out that the

author added MSG to tomato plants as a substitute for fertilizer. The author

uses fertilization techniques through leaves.

Fertilization is the application of organic and inorganic chemical

elements intended to improve the chemical conditions of the soil and replace

the loss of nutrients in the soil and aims to meet nutrient requirements for

plants to increase crop productivity.

In 1830, Sachs and Knop succeeded in proving the existence of essential

nutrients in plants including, carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen

(N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), magnesium

(Mg), and iron (Fe). These ten elements are elements that are necessary for

plant growth.

The nitrogen (N) element needed for plant growth and development can

be found in glutamic acid. Glutamate acid is known as one type of amino acid

which functions as a growth hormone that controls the balance of nutrients so

that there is a balance in the growth of organs in plants. Glutamic acid is

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 known to stimulate growth in higher plants by being involved in chlorophyll

synthesis. So that the plant will look greener.

In addition to the ten essential nutrients that are absolutely necessary for

plant growth, there is an element of sodium (Na) that is needed even though it

is not an important element for plants. But in small amounts, it can function

as a micronutrient, especially in helping metabolism and synthesis of

chlorophyll. In some plants, sodium as an alkaline element can also be used

as a potassium substitute and helps in opening and closing the stomata, which

helps regulate internal water balance.

3.2 The Effect of Adding MSG on The Growth of Tomato Plants

In the experiment of the benefit of MSG on the growth of tomato plants,

the author used one factor, that is the concentration of MSG control 0%, 1%,

2%, and 3% with the frequency of spraying once every 4 days. Experimental

parameters include plant height and number of leaves.

Before the application of MSG, all four tomato plants had different

height and number of leaves from each other but after application, the four

tomato plants were treated and grown on the same planting medium.

In the experiment of adding MSG on the growth of tomato plants using

the procedures discussed, finally, the following data were obtained:

Concentration of MSG After 2 weeks

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 Height Number of Leaves

0% Increased 9 cm Increased 7 leaves

1% Increased 11,3 cm Increased 9 leaves

2% Increased 13 cm Decreased 5 leaves

3% Increased 13,2 cm Decreased 6 leaves

Table 3.1 The Effect of MSG on Height and Number of Leaves of Tomato

Plants

Based on data in Table 3.1 above, it can be seen that changes in plant

height produced due to the addition of MSG are quite significant compared to

tomato plants that are not given MSG which changes in plant height slowly.

In tomato plants that were given MSG with a concentration of 1%, they

did not experience leaf loss, whereas those on tomatoes have given MSG with

a concentration of 2% and 3% experienced leaf loss and chlorophyll content

in leaves significantly decreased.

3.3 The Effective Concentration of MSG on The Growth of Tomato Plants

Based on data obtained from the experiment of MSG addition to tomato

growth, tomato plants that were given MSG with a concentration of 1% were

the most effective because of significant plant growth and the number of

leaves compared to tomato plants given the higher concentration of. Small

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 amounts of Sodium can function as micronutrients, especially in helping

metabolism and synthesis of chlorophyll. Sodium as an alkaline element can

also be used as a substitute for potassium and helps in opening and closing

the stomata which help regulate internal water balance.

On the addition of MSG with a concentration of 2% and 3%, the element

sodium becomes toxic to the plants so that symptoms of necrosis appear.

Necrosis is a symptom or condition of death of the plant system, especially in

leaves. It is characterized by spots or brownish lines on the leaves which are

generally can’t be found in other plants.

CHAPTER IV

CLOSING

4.1 Conclusions

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 Based on the research and dicussion, the author makes the conclusions as

below :

1. Giving MSG to tomato plants can be done by spraying directly

on the leaves

2. Sodium is needed for plant growth even though it is not an

important element for plants. But in small amounts, it can

function as a micronutrient, especially in helping metabolism

and synthesis of chlorophyll.

3. Giving an MSG solution with a concentration of 1% gives a

significant effect of plant growth compared to plants that are

not given an MSG solution.

4. Giving MSG solution with a concentration of 2% and 3%

becomes toxic to plants, causing symptoms of necrosis in the

leaves which end with leaf loss.

4.2 Suggestions

The author hopes that the readers can be more aware that there are other

fertilizer alternatives that can help increase Indonesian tomato production so

that it can sufficient the market demand for tomato commodities which are

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getting higher year by year. That is the addition of MSG solutions with the

right concentration.

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