Effect of salt stress on dry matter production and nitrogen uptake by tomatoes¹

University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Journal No. 7159.

Abstract

Dry matter yield and nitrogen (total and ¹⁵N) uptake of tomato plants (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill., cv. Columbia) subjected to saline stress by NaCl were studied in a greenhouse. The treatments consisted of low (control), medium (4 bars), and high (8 bars) salinity. The saline treatments were prepared by adding NaCl to culture solutions. The plants were 80 days old at the start of the ¹⁵N treatments and each was in a pot containing 1.8 kg of quartz sand. The ¹⁵N was provided to plants by adding K¹⁵NO₃ to the pots and the ¹⁵N treatment period continued for 30 days. The plants were harvested at each 5‐day interval during the ¹⁵N treatment period. Dry matter production and nitrogen (total and ¹⁵N) uptake were significantly lower for the saline treatments as compared with the control. The significant difference in the above factors (dry matter production, total‐N, and ¹⁵N content of plants) was first noted on day 15 of the ¹⁵N treatment, and this difference continued to the end of the study period. Also, differences in both dry matter production and ¹⁵N uptake appeared in the last (day 30) harvest between the two saline treatments.

Notes

University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station Journal No. 7159.