Salt Tolerant Eggplant Rootstocks Modulate Sodium Partitioning in Tomato Scion and Improve Performance under Saline Conditions

Satish Kumar Sanwal, Anita Mann, Arvind Kumar, Hari Kesh, Gurpreet Kaur, Arvind Kumar Rai, Raj Kumar, Parbodh C. Sharma, Ashwani Kumar, Anant Bahadur, Bijendra Singh and Pradeep Kumar
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Satish Kumar Sanwal: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Anita Mann: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Arvind Kumar: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Hari Kesh: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Gurpreet Kaur: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Arvind Kumar Rai: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Raj Kumar: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Parbodh C. Sharma: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Ashwani Kumar: ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal 132001, Haryana, India
Anant Bahadur: ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi 221305, Uttar Pradesh, India
Bijendra Singh: ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi 221305, Uttar Pradesh, India
Pradeep Kumar: ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342003, Rajasthan, India

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Grafting on salt tolerant eggplant rootstocks can be a promising approach for enhancing the salinity tolerance of tomato. In this study, the performance of tomato cv. Kashi Aman grafted on two salt tolerant eggplant rootstocks (IC-111056 and IC-354557) was evaluated against non-grafted control under saline (EC iw 6 and 9 dS m −1 ) and non-saline (EC iw ~1 dS m −1 ) irrigation for 2 years. Grafting improved tomato plant performance under salt stress. Moreover, rootstock IC-111056 outperformed IC-354557. An increase in the average fruit yield of grafted plants compared with non-grafted control at 6 and 9 dS m −1 was 24.41% and 55.84%, respectively with rootstock IC-111056 and 20.25% and 49.08%, respectively with IC-354557. Grafted plants maintained a superior water status under saline irrigation, evidenced with the relative water content and chlorophyll SPAD index, along with higher proline and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase). Rootstocks mediated the partitioning of toxic saline ions in the scions by promoting higher Na + accumulation (14% of mean accumulation) in the older leaves and lower (24%) in the younger leaves of grafted plants. This resulted in higher K + /Na + ratios within the younger (active) leaves of the grafted plants. Our study demonstrates that grafting tomato seedlings on selected salt tolerant eggplant rootstocks is a viable alternative for improving plant physiological status and fruit yield under salt stress, through favorable modulation of salt ion partitioning in the scions.

Keywords: tomato grafting; Na + partitioning; salinity tolerance; antioxidant enzymes; fruit yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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