Salinity tolerance in tomato: Implications of potassium, calcium, and phosphorus

Four ecotypes of the species Lycopersicon cheesmanii ssp. minor (Hook.) C.H. Mull. from the Galapagos Islands were compared with L. esculentum Mill cv. VF 36 with respect to salt tolerance. The L. cheesmanii ecotype that proved most salt-tolerant was selected for detailed comparison with the L. esculentum cultivar. Plants were grown in modified Hoagland solution salinized with synthetic seawater salt mix. Growth rates under saline conditions were examined and amino acid, sugar, total amino nitrogen, free acidity, and Na and K levels in the tissues of the most and least tolerant plants were measured under salt stress and nonstress conditions. Results indicate that all Galapagos ecotypes were far more salt-tolerant than was the esculentum cultivar. They could survive in full strength seawater nutrient solution while the esculentum cultivar could not in most cases withstand levels higher than 50% seawater. Growth rates were reduced in both species under saline conditions but the esculentum cultivar was more severely affected. High levels of total amino nitrogen, specific amino acids, and free acidity along with low sodium content were found in the salt stressed VF 36 cultivar. The opposite responses were noted in the salt stressed treatments of the Galapagos ecotype. Tissue sugar levels did not appear to be similarly correlated with salt stress in either species. Potassium content fell sharply during salinization in the Galapagos ecotype while in the esculentum cultivar it declined relatively little even at high levels of salinity.

Previous work with the fluorescent Ca probe chlorotetracycline (CTC) showed that salinity displaces Ca from membranes of root cells. Using a variety of indirect approaches, we studied whether salinity displaces Ca from the cell surface or from internal membranes of corn (Zea mays L. cv Pioneer 3377) root protoplasts. Preloading the cells with supplemental Ca counteracted subsequent NaCl effects on CTC fluorescence. CTC quenching by exogenous EGTA was not competitive with CTC quenching by NaCl. The Ca channel reagent (+)-202-791 had significant interactions with the effect of NaCl on CTC fluorescence. The effect of NaCl on CTC fluorescence was attenuated by pretreatment with Li, but was restored by inositol. Salinity increased Na influx, decreased Ca influx, and increased Ca efflux from the cells. Fluorescence anisotropy indicated that NaCl decreased the fluidity of the external face of the plasmalemma but increased the fluidity of cell membranes in general. Our results suggest that salinity displaces Ca associated with intracellular membranes through activation of the phosphoinositide system and depletion of intracellular Ca pools.