Sme. Satti et al., SALINITY INDUCED CHANGES IN VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH IN TOMATO, Communications in soil science and plant analysis, 25(5-6), 1994, pp. 501-510
Vegetative and reproductive growth were studied in five tomato (Lycope
rsicon esculentum Mill) cultivars under saline conditions imposed at t
he five-leaf stage by addition of 50 mM NaCl to half strength Hoagland
nutrient solution. The plants were raised in pots filled with washed
quartz sand kept in a greenhouse. Stem height and number of leaves in
tomato plants were significantly reduced when irrigated with saline re
gimes in contrast with control plants that received only the Hoagland
solution. The highest number of flowers were obtained in the cultivar
Pearson and the least in cultivar Strain B. Fruit set and yield were l
ittle affected by varietal differences and were not related to vegetat
ive growth. Fruit weight was suppressed with NaCl stress, but improvem
ent in weight was achieved when potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) were ad
ded to the saline water. The most detrimental effect of NaCl stress wa
s the reduction of biomass yield in tomatoes. However, the relative dr
y weights of Pearson and Monte Carlo were increased to 60% and 54%, re
spectively, when NaCl was supplemented with Ca. Large varietal differe
nces in biomass occurred among the NaCl-treated and control plants. To
mato fruit quality (TSS) was improved by salinization.