Evaluation of seedling selection for salinity tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Summary

Salt-tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was selected on the basis of germination and survival of seed sown in trays of perlite suspended in either 75 or 150 mM NaCl. Salinity reduced the germination of seed. Genetic differences in salt-tolerance were apparent with salt reducing germination more in seed collected from cv. Cara than in that collected from cv. Maris Piper. Progeny from the seedling selection were then grown to maturity to produce tubers.

The relative tolerance of the parental cultivars and of unselected and selected progeny to long-term exposure to salinity was examined in a pot experiment in which plants were irrigated with either fresh water or 50 mM NaCl solution from one week after plant emergence. In this experiment, salinity significantly reduced leaf conductance, total dry matter production and partitioning of assimilate to tubers. Salinity reduced dry matter production and assimilate partitioning to tubers to a greater extent in Cara than in M. Piper. Progeny selected for short-term salt-tolerance did not exhibit greater long-term salt-tolerance than unselected progeny, and both were more sensitive than M. Piper.

These results demonstrate genetic variation in salt-tolerance in potato. However, although there was a correlation between the performance of the parent to long-term salinity and survival of progeny in the seedling selection, there was no correlation between short- and long-term salt-tolerance. This suggests that characters underlying short-term tolerance may contribute to long-term tolerance but do not of themselves confer long-term tolerance. Future progress in selecting for improved salt-tolerance depends on understanding the effects of salinity on the physiological processes underlying growth and carbon partitioning.