Electrolyte leakage assay
nounPronunciation: /ɪˈlɛktrəlaɪt ˈlɪkɪdʒ əˈseɪ/
A diagnostic method measuring cellular membrane damage by quantifying ion release from damaged plant tissues into surrounding solutions. The assay uses electrical conductivity measurements before and after heat/stress treatment to assess cell membrane integrity and stress tolerance.
Plain English
A test that measures how much salt leaks out of plant cells to detect damage to cell membranes from stress.
Etymology & History
Usage
"The electrolyte leakage assay revealed that salt-tolerant genotypes maintained better membrane integrity than susceptible cultivars."
Style guide notes: Specify assay temperature (e.g., '40°C heat stress') and duration for reproducibility; report as percentage of total electrolytes.
Also known as
Contrasted with
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
How is electrolyte leakage measured?
By measuring electrical conductivity of tissue extract before and after membrane damage induction.
What does high electrolyte leakage indicate?
Severe cell membrane damage and low stress tolerance or poor stress adaptation capacity.
Why Test Candidates on This?
Rapid, cost-effective screening tool for stress tolerance phenotyping in crop breeding programs.
Required skill level: Junior