Responses of rootstock variability to tolerate salinity in tomato

The grafting on tomatoes with salinity-resistant rootstocks is an alternative practice for saline soil fields that has been proven efficient. The use of grafting on tomato plants with salinity-resistant rootstock enhances growth and fruit production in saline conditions. However, in South America, there are a few studies aimed to investigate grafting within saline conditions. Additionally, it is necessary to explore the variability of tomatoes to identify promising rootstocks. The commercial cultivar Giuliana was used as a vegetative material, that is being grafted in ten rootstocks: commercial cultivars Guardião, Muralha, Protetor, and Magnet, accessions RVTC 66 (S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme), LA 716 (S. pennellii) and PI 127,826 (S. habrochaites var. hirsutum) and, interspecific F1 hybrids RVTC 66 × LA 716, RVTC 66 × PI 127,826 and LA 716 × PI 127,826. Giuliana was also self-grafted (control treatment). The plants were submitted to study two treatments: without NaCl during fertigation (EC: 1.01 dS m−1 and 1.75 dS m−1) and in the presence of NaCl (EC of 3.5 and 7.0 dS m−1) for vegetative development and reproductive periods, respectively. The growth, physiological, productive, and post-harvest parameters were evaluated. The rootstocks Guardião, Muralha, Protetor, Magnet, RVTC 66, PI 127,826, and F1(RVTC 66 × PI 127,826) were susceptible to salinity. In contrast, the use of LA 716 accession and its F1(RVTC 66 × LA 716) and F1(LA 716 × PI 127,826) hybrids tolerated salinity. However, it is recommended to use the F1(RVTC 66 × LA 716) hybrid with a higher productive performance than the other rootstocks.