TITLE:
In Vitro Germination and Early Vegetative Growth of Five Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Varieties under Salt Stress Conditions
AUTHORS:
Abdou Khadre Sané, Bassirou Diallo, Aboubacry Kane, Maurice Sagna, Djibril Sané, Mame Ourèye Sy
KEYWORDS:
Solanum lycopersicum, NaCl, Germination, Growth, Tolerance, In Vitro Conditions
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.12 No.5,
May
28,
2021
ABSTRACT: In Senegal, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation is affected by salinity in
many agro-ecological zones. The selection of salt tolerant varieties would be
an alternative solution to enhance the production. Thus, germination and growth
are studied under axenic conditions for five varieties of tomato subjected to increasing
concentrations of NaCl [0, 35, 70 and 105 mM], and supplemented in an MS/2
medium for 30 days. The results reveal that salt negatively affects the
evaluated parameters. The Rodeo and Lady Nema varieties have the lowest
final germination rates (50%) unlike the Mongal variety (55%). These last two varieties have a decrease of 71.78% and 81.28% in
the height of the stem, respectively, in the presence of NaCl at [105 mM] while
that of the Rodeo variety is 70%. The Xewel variety has the greatest
average number of leaves in the presence of [NaCl 35 mM] (4.95 leaves) and
[NaCl 70 mM] (4.77 leaves). The Lady Nema variety records the longest taproot length (2.99 cm) unlike the Rodeo variety (2.25 cm) at [NaCl 105
mM]. The Ganila variety reveals the
highest number of secondary roots at the concentrations of [0, 35 and 105 mM]
of NaCl with, respectively, 44.12, 29.25, and 4.25 roots. The Lady Nema variety records the highest
fresh weight of aerial (0.055 g) and root parts (0.014 g) and the lowest root
dry weights (0.0023 g). These results allow to conclude that the Lady Nema and Mongal varieties seem more tolerant, Ganila and Xewel are
moderately tolerant and Rodeo is more
sensitive to the presence of salt.