Ecology

Solanum

Hydroponics

Drought tolerance

Salinity

Botany

Agronomy

Biology

Crop

Halotolerance

Horticulture

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY

Traits of modern crops have been heavily selected in agriculture, leaving commercial lines often more susceptible to harsh conditions compared with their wild relatives. Understanding the mechanisms of stress tolerance in wild relatives can enhance crop performance under stress conditions such as high salinity. In this study, we investigated salinity tolerance of two species of wild tomato endemic to the Galapagos Islands, Solanum cheesmaniae and Solanum galapagense. Since these tomatoes grow well despite being constantly splashed with seawater, they represent a valuable genetic resource for improving salinity tolerance in commercial tomatoes. To explore their potential, we recorded over 20 traits reflecting plant growth, physiology, and ion content in 67 accessions and two commercial tomato lines of Solanum lycopersicum. Salt treatments were applied for 10 d using supported hydroponics. The Galapagos tomatoes displayed greater tolerance to salt stress than the commercial lines and showed substantial natural ...

Diverse Traits Contribute to Salinity Tolerance of Wild Tomato Seedlings from the Galapagos Islands