The Effect of NaCl Salinity on Germination, Growth of Tomato Sprit and ES-30502 Rootstocks, and Nutrient Acquisition in Nutrient Culture


Abstract in English

This study aim at investigating the tolerance of two tomato rootstock (Sprit and ES- 30502) widely speared in Syria and used for crafting some tomato hybrids grown in green houses for different salinity levels (0- 25- 50- 75- 100- 150 mM NaCl). The results show that the germination of rootstock Sprit seeds was not influenced by high salinity 150 mM despite a delay of 1-2 days compared with the control. A reduction of 15% was observed in the rootstock ES-30502 at 100 and 150 mM NaCl salinity levels, in addition to slower percentage rate of germination. In contrast, the effect of salinity on the development of the radical and rootlet was more pronounced in Sprit compared to ES- 30502. Salinity decreased the growth of both shoots and roots, and also decreased nutrient acquisition in both rootstocks, but to a lesser degree in ES-30502. The uptake of K was not greatly affected and concentrations in shoot remained normal. The concentrations of Ca and Mg were also not affected by salinity. The most pronounced effect of salinity was on nitrogen effect (NO3) which was reduced greatly in both rootstocks. This was accompanied by accumulation of free NO3 ions in the shoot tissue (58 and 45 % of total N uptake at salinity level of 150 mM). It is most likely that toxicity of Na and Cl ions, and consequent osmotic changes in cell tissue led to slower nitrate reductase activity (NRA) and accumulation of NO3.

References used

ABOUTALEBI, A. and JOHRAMI, F. A. Effect of NaCl on vegetative characters of Cl, Na and K concentration of tomato (Lycopersiom esculantum) plant. Annals boil. Res. 2013, 4, 178-182
ADAMS J. F and DOERGE, T. A. Soil Salinity and Soil Acidity as Factors in Plant Nutrition. Future Developments in Soil Science Research, 1987, 193-203

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