Effect of salt stress on in vitro grown Solanum nigrum L.

Hajer Al-Qwasemeh, Wesam Al Khateeb, Riyadh A. Basahi

Abstract: Biotic and abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought and heavy metals affect biochemical, morphological, physiological and molecular processes in plants. The yield and productivity of major crops including Solanum lycopersicum are reduced as a result of these stresses worldwide. Plant tissue culture has been used to study the effect of various environmental factors on plants in a small space and short time. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of salt stress on germination, growth and biochemical parameters of the crop wild relative (CWR) Solanum nigrum compared to tomato (S. lycopersicum). Results showed that presence of NaCl in MS medium reduced significantly most of the studied germination and growth characteristics (plant fresh weight, shoot length, number of leaves and roots) for both S. nigrum and S. lycopersicum. Proline accumulation rate increased in S. nigrum and S. lycopersicum under salinity stress. However, S. nigrum showed higher proline accumulation rate than tomato. Also, chlorophyll content was higher in tomato plants compared to S. nigrum under salt stress. Results of this study indicate that the crop wild relative (S. nigrum) is more tolerant to salt than tomato plants.

Keywords: crop wild relative; salinity; Solanum lycopersicum; Solanum nigrum

Date published: 2019-02-08