Effect of Different Salinity Levels on Morphological and Yield-Related Traits of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Salinity stress arises from the accumulation of elevated salt levels in the soil, leading to the hindrance of plant growth and eventual crop loss. Compounds that induce stress tolerance exhibit a remarkable capacity to enhance growth and mitigate the impacts of salinity stress, all while maintaining a positive environmental impact by regulating plant activities. to investigate how varying levels of salinity in the irrigation water impact the morphological characteristics and yield of tomato plants. The experiment employed a complete randomized design with one plant per pot and three replicates per treatment, spanning from October 2021 to April 2022 and October 2022 to April 2023 at SVPUAT, Meerut. The objective was to investigate the impact of four NaCl levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) on the Morphological traits of ten tomato cultivars (Arka Rakshak, Punjab Ratta, H-88-78-5, VRT-16-1, Pusa Ruby, Pant T-3, Arka Samrat, Kashi Aman, Kashi Anupam, Pusa Rohini) during the mature stage. Various genotypes displayed distinct reactions concerning plant growth, with a focus on factors such as plant height, the quantity of branches per plant, the number of flower trusses per plant, and the number of flowers per truss being examined. Parameters such as average fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, and TSS were also measured. The findings revealed that increasing NaCl salinity adversely affected the morphological properties of all examined tomato plants compared to the control group (tap water). Salinity was found to decrease morpho and yield related parameters, except for TSS in tomato fruit. Nevertheless, there was a variation in the response to salt stress among the studied varieties. "Pusa Ruby" and "Pusa Rohini" demonstrated greater performance and stability under salinity stress, followed by Arka Rakshak and Kashi Aman, while Punjab Ratta, followed by Pant T-3, inferior performance under salinity. Water salinity significantly impacts the growth and production of crops, and the insights from this study can aid in the selection of better varieties in saline-affected areas. However, it is essential to further evaluate the potential of these genotypes under saline conditions and assess the variability in various biochemical parameters.