The halophyte species Solanum chilense Dun. maintains its reproduction despite sodium accumulation in its floral organs

Bigot, Servane (author), Pongrac, Paula (author), Šala, Martin (author), Elteren, Johannes Teun van (author), Martínez, Juan-Pablo (author), Lutts, Stanley (author), Quinet, Muriel (author)

Salinity is a growing global concern that affects the yield of crop species, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Its wild relative Solanum chilense was reported to have halophyte properties. We compared salt resistance of both species during the reproductive phase, with a special focus on sodium localization in the flowers. Plants were exposed to NaCl from the seedling stage. Salinity decreased the number of inflorescences in both species but the number of flowers per inflorescence and sepal length only in S. lycopersicum. External salt supply decreased the stamen length in S. chilense, and it was associated with a decrease in pollen production and an increase in pollen viability. Although the fruit set was not affected by salinity, fruit weight and size decreased in S. lycopersicum. Concentrations and localization of Na, K, Mg, and Ca differed in reproductive structures of both species. Inflorescences and fruits of S. chilense accumulated more Na than S. lycopersicum. Sodium was mainly located in male floral organs of S. chilense but in non-reproductive floral organs in S. lycopersicum. The expression of Na transporter genes differed in flowers of both species. Overall, our results indicated that S. chilense was more salt-resistant than S. lycopersicum during the reproductive phase and that differences could be partly related to dissimilarities in element distribution and transport in flowers.

• Language: English
• Keywords: salinity, inflorescences, ion localization
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 24 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 11, iss. 5, art. 672
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-137245
• UDC: 581
• ISSN on article: 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants11050672
• COBISS.SI-ID: 99274499
• Publication date in RUL: 08.06.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Plants
• Shortened title: Plants
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2223-7747
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523345433

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.03.2022