Background A hydroponic study was conducted to evaluate whether grafting with some hybrid tomato rootstock could enhance tolerance to salinity of some local tomato scion genotypes and verify morpho-physiological, and biochemical reactions stimulated by rootstocks under salinity. Plants were tested at control (1.5 dS m− 1), medium (4 dS m− 1) and high (8 dS m− 1) salt stress levels by implementing an aerated Deep-Water Culture technique in a fully automated climate chamber. Three scion genotypes (Iraq 1, Iraq 2, and Karahidir) were grafted onto two rootstock genotypes (Ege 50 and ATS06) to evaluate salt tolerance. Results Salinity led to significant decline in plant growth and biomass accumulation as compared to control conditions, confirming the detrimental influences of stress on crop development. Conversely, salt-tolerant rootstocks enhanced biomass production under salinity, indicating a substantial contribution of rootstock genotype to growth performance and yield formation. Grafting noticeably alleviated salt stress, with ATS06 enhancing leaf number by up to 51.5%, shoot and root dry biomasses by 56.8% and 73.5%, SPAD by ~ 40%, total leaf area by 74.8%, and fruit fresh weight by up to 261.9%, while improving P− and K+ uptake (~ 60%) and declining Na+ (–7.5%) and Cl− (–16.5%) accumulation. Conversely, Ege 50 utilized stronger influences on root architecture and micronutrient status, improving total root length and volume by up to 288.7% and 353.3%, root diameter by up to 699.6%, and Zn2+ concentration by 55% under salt stress conditions. Iraq 1 grafted onto ATS06 exhibited greater salinity tolerance than when grafted onto Ege 50, as evidenced by superior shoot and root biomass, stem length, leaf number, leaf area, nutrient status (P−, Mg2+, Cu2+, and Mn2+), rooting depth, and total root length. On the contrary, Karahidir grafted onto ATS06 achieved higher yield, total soluble solids content and fruit dimensions. Under both salt stress levels (4.0 and 8.0, dS m− 1) fruit yield was strongly positive correlated with photosynthetic rate (r = 0.70 to 0.84), leaf physiological traits (r = 0.49 to 0.62) and root morphological traits (r = 0.51 to 0.49), respectively. Moreover, the leaf Ca²⁺ (r = 0.70 to 0.53) and leaf Zn2+ (r = 0.59 to 0.64) contents showed strong positive relationships with fruit yield, respectively under moderate (4.0 dS m− 1) and high (8.0, dS m− 1) salt stress levels. Highly significant positive correlation existed between shoot dry biomass production and leaf area (r = 0.40 to 0.93) under both salt stress levels (4.0 and 8.0, dS m− 1), respectively. On the other hand, the membrane damage (r= -0.52 to -0.55) and electrolyte leakage of leaf (r= -0.40 to -0.70) and root (r= -0.57 to -0.80) parameters strongly negative correlated with shoot growth parameters under both salt stress levels of 4.0 and 8.0, dS m− 1, respectively. All these results clearly indicated that maintenance of photosynthetic capacity with extended leaf area formation and maintained high nutrient balance (i.e. Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺) contributed by vigorous rootstocks (i.e. ATS06 and Ege 50) improved salt tolerance of grafted tomato under salt stress conditions. Conclusion Salinity markedly restricted plant growth; however, grafting onto tolerant rootstocks effectively mitigated these adverse effects. ATS06 and Ege 50 demonstrated strong potential to enhance plant performance and salt tolerance through complementary yet genotype-dependent leaf physiological, root morphological and nutritional mechanisms. These traits could be useful characteristics to select ‘salt-tolerant’ tomato rootstocks for sustainable horticulture in the future.

Influence of rootstock–scion combinations on morpho-physiological responses, yield, and fruit quality of tomato under hydroponic salinity stress

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2026年5月8日

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Yunus Emre Cakır,
Firdes Ulas

摘要

Background

A hydroponic study was conducted to evaluate whether grafting with some hybrid tomato rootstock could enhance tolerance to salinity of some local tomato scion genotypes and verify morpho-physiological, and biochemical reactions stimulated by rootstocks under salinity. Plants were tested at control (1.5 dS m^− 1), medium (4 dS m^− 1) and high (8 dS m^− 1) salt stress levels by implementing an aerated Deep-Water Culture technique in a fully automated climate chamber. Three scion genotypes (Iraq 1, Iraq 2, and Karahidir) were grafted onto two rootstock genotypes (Ege 50 and ATS06) to evaluate salt tolerance.

Results

Salinity led to significant decline in plant growth and biomass accumulation as compared to control conditions, confirming the detrimental influences of stress on crop development. Conversely, salt-tolerant rootstocks enhanced biomass production under salinity, indicating a substantial contribution of rootstock genotype to growth performance and yield formation. Grafting noticeably alleviated salt stress, with ATS06 enhancing leaf number by up to 51.5%, shoot and root dry biomasses by 56.8% and 73.5%, SPAD by ~ 40%, total leaf area by 74.8%, and fruit fresh weight by up to 261.9%, while improving P⁻ and K⁺ uptake (~ 60%) and declining Na⁺ (–7.5%) and Cl⁻ (–16.5%) accumulation. Conversely, Ege 50 utilized stronger influences on root architecture and micronutrient status, improving total root length and volume by up to 288.7% and 353.3%, root diameter by up to 699.6%, and Zn²⁺ concentration by 55% under salt stress conditions. Iraq 1 grafted onto ATS06 exhibited greater salinity tolerance than when grafted onto Ege 50, as evidenced by superior shoot and root biomass, stem length, leaf number, leaf area, nutrient status (P⁻, Mg²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Mn²⁺), rooting depth, and total root length. On the contrary, Karahidir grafted onto ATS06 achieved higher yield, total soluble solids content and fruit dimensions. Under both salt stress levels (4.0 and 8.0, dS m^− 1) fruit yield was strongly positive correlated with photosynthetic rate (r = 0.70 to 0.84), leaf physiological traits (r = 0.49 to 0.62) and root morphological traits (r = 0.51 to 0.49), respectively. Moreover, the leaf Ca²⁺ (r = 0.70 to 0.53) and leaf Zn²⁺ (r = 0.59 to 0.64) contents showed strong positive relationships with fruit yield, respectively under moderate (4.0 dS m^− 1) and high (8.0, dS m^− 1) salt stress levels. Highly significant positive correlation existed between shoot dry biomass production and leaf area (r = 0.40 to 0.93) under both salt stress levels (4.0 and 8.0, dS m^− 1), respectively. On the other hand, the membrane damage (r= -0.52 to -0.55) and electrolyte leakage of leaf (r= -0.40 to -0.70) and root (r= -0.57 to -0.80) parameters strongly negative correlated with shoot growth parameters under both salt stress levels of 4.0 and 8.0, dS m^− 1, respectively. All these results clearly indicated that maintenance of photosynthetic capacity with extended leaf area formation and maintained high nutrient balance (i.e. Ca²⁺ and Zn²⁺) contributed by vigorous rootstocks (i.e. ATS06 and Ege 50) improved salt tolerance of grafted tomato under salt stress conditions.

Conclusion

Salinity markedly restricted plant growth; however, grafting onto tolerant rootstocks effectively mitigated these adverse effects. ATS06 and Ege 50 demonstrated strong potential to enhance plant performance and salt tolerance through complementary yet genotype-dependent leaf physiological, root morphological and nutritional mechanisms. These traits could be useful characteristics to select ‘salt-tolerant’ tomato rootstocks for sustainable horticulture in the future.