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Differential accumulation of potassium results in varied salt-tolerance response in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars

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  • Cultivation Physiology
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Abstract

To quantify the effect of two potassium levels (4.5 and 9.0 mM) on salt tolerance, we conducted a solution culture experiment using salt-tolerant (Nagina) and salt-sensitive (Peto-86) Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) cultivars grown under NaCl stress (0, 75, and 150 mM). Potassium is known to minimize oxidative stress and enhance photosynthesis in salt-stressed plants. A 30-day treatment with potassium, differentially increased stomatal conductance and transpiration, decreased oxidative stress, lowered the activities of antioxidant enzymes (i.e., superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase), increased leaf K+ levels and the K+/Na+ ratio, and improved the membrane stability index in the salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive tomato cultivars exposed to salt stress. The salt-sensitive cultivar had significantly higher malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and lower antioxidant enzyme activity than the salt-tolerant cultivar. These results indicate that potassium can be used to alleviate salt-induced oxidative stress and photosynthetic limitations in tomato plants and ultimately improve survival under salt stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, 61100, Pakistan

    Muhammad Amjad, Behzad Murtaza & Ghulam Abbas

  2. Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Javaid Akhtar

  3. Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Husnain Jawad

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  1. Muhammad Amjad
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  2. Javaid Akhtar
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  3. Behzad Murtaza
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  4. Ghulam Abbas
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  5. Husnain Jawad
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Correspondence to Muhammad Amjad.

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Amjad, M., Akhtar, J., Murtaza, B. et al. Differential accumulation of potassium results in varied salt-tolerance response in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars. Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 57, 248–258 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-016-0035-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-016-0035-7

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