Genetic potential for salt tolerance during germination in lycopersicon species

Seed of 42 wild accessions (Plant Introductions) of Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium Jusl., 11 cultigens (cultivated accessions) of L. esculentum Mill., and three control genotypes [LA716 (a salt-tolerant wild accession of L. pennellii Corr.), PI 174263 (a salt-tolerant cultigen), and UCT5 (a salt-sensitive breeding line)] were evaluated for germination in either 0 mM (control) or 100 mM synthetic sea salt (SSS, Na + /Ca 2+ molar ratio equal to 5). Germination time increased in response to salt-stress in all genotypes, however, genotypic variation was observed. One accession of L. pimpinellifolium, LA1578, germinated as rapidly as LA716, and both germinated more rapidly than any other genotype under salt-stress. Ten accessions of L. pimpinellifolium germinated more rapidly than PI 174263 and 35 accessions germinated more rapidly than UCT5 under salt-stress. The results indicate a strong genetic potential for salt tolerance during germination within L. pimpinellifolium. Across genotypes, germination under salt-stress was positively correlated (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) with germination in the control treatment. The stability of germination response at diverse salt-stress levels was determined by evaluating germination ofa subset of wild, cultivated accessions and the three control genotypes at 75, 150, and 200 mM SSS. Seeds that germinated rapidly at 75 mM also germinated rapidly at 150 mM salt. A strong correlation (r = 0.90, P < 0.01) existed between the speed of germination at these two salt-stress levels. At 200 mM salt, most accessions (76%) did not reach 50% germination by 38 days, demonstrating limited genetic potential within Lycopersicon for salt tolerance during germination at this high salinity.