EFFECTS OF GRAFTING ON ALKALI STRESS IN TOMATO PLANTS: DATURA ROOTSTOCK IMPROVE ALKALINITY TOLERANCE OF TOMATO PLANTS

Plant growth, nutritional status, and proline content were investigated in non-grafted and grafted greenhouse tomato plants onto five rootstocks of eggplant, datura, orange nightshade, local Iranian tobacco, and field tomato, exposed to 0, 5, and 10 mM sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) to determine whether grafting could improve alkalinity tolerance of tomato. The leaf fresh mass of ungrafted and grafted tomato plants decreased significantly as NaHCO3 levels increased. Despite other rootstocks and ungrafted plants, alkalinity had no significant effect on stem and root fresh mass and shoot phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations of datura grafted plants. The lowest solution pH and electrical conductivity (EC) values and the highest leaf proline content were observed in the plants grafted onto datura rootstock. Moreover, sodium (Na) concentration in shoots was lower in plants grafted onto datura rootstock than in other plants especially under high NaHCO3 levels. Overall, using datura rootstock improved alkalinity tolerance of tomato plants under NaHCO3 stress.