Salt tolerance in the wild relatives of the cultivated tomato: Responses of Lycopersicon esculentum, L. peruvianum, and L. esculentum Minor to sodium chloride solution

Abstract

The species used in this study were the cultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum, the wild species L. peruvianum, and plants originating from the wild species L, esculentum minor. The three plant types were compared in control and sodium chloride solutions for stability of fruit size, growth, dry weight, leaf relative water content and succulence, and chloride, sodium, and potassium contents. Fruit size decreased under salinity in the cultivated species but remained unchanged in the wild plants. It was also found that plant growth, shoot/root dry weight ratio, relative water content, and potassium concentration decreased under salinity in cultivated and wild plants. In all instances, except for potassium, the decrease was smaller in the wild plants. However, chloride and sodium concentrations and leaf succulence increased in all three plant types. Increases in chloride, sodium, and leaf succulence were greater in the wild plants. The differences in response to salinity between the cultivated and the wild plants and their significance are discussed.