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Assessment of the preventive effect of vermicompost on salinity resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig)

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Abstract

To determine the effects of vermicompost leachate (VCL) on resistance to salt stress in plants, young tomato seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum, cv. Ailsa Craig) were exposed to salinity (150 mM NaCl addition to nutrient solution) for 7 days after or during 6 mL L− 1 VCL application. Salt stress significantly decreased leaf fresh and dry weights, reduced leaf water content, significantly increased root and leaf Na+ concentrations, and decreased K+ concentrations. Salt stress decreased stomatal conductance (gs), net photosynthesis (A), instantaneous transpiration (E), maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry in the dark-adapted state (Fv/Fm), photochemical quenching (qP), and actual PSII photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII). VCL applied during salt stress increased leaf fresh weight and gs, but did not reduce leaf osmotic potential, despite increased proline content in salt-treated plants. VCL reduced Na+ concentrations in leaves (by 21.4%), but increased them in roots (by 16.9%). VCL pre-treatment followed by salt stress was more efficient than VCL concomitant to salt stress, since VCL pre-treatment provided the greatest osmotic adjustment recorded, with maintenance of net photosynthesis and K+/Na+ ratios following salt stress. VCL pre-treatment also led to the highest proline content in leaves (50 µmol g− 1 FW) and the highest sugar content in roots (9.2 µmol g− 1 FW). Fluorescence-related parameters confirmed that VCL pre-treatment of salt-stressed plants showed higher PSII stability and efficiency compared to plants under concomitant VCL and salt stress. Therefore, VCL represents an efficient protective agent for improvement of salt-stress resistance in tomato.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to University of Blida for a travel grant for S.B., and to Brigitte Vanpee for valuable technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale, Earth and Life Institute-Agronomy (ELI-A), Université catholique de Louvain, 5 (Bte 7.07.73), Croix du Sud, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

    Salima Benazzouk & Stanley Lutts

  2. Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université de Blida 1, Ouled yaich, Blida, Algeria

    Salima Benazzouk & Zahr-Eddine Djazouli

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  1. Salima Benazzouk
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  2. Zahr-Eddine Djazouli
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  3. Stanley Lutts
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Correspondence to Stanley Lutts.

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Communicated by M Horbowicz.

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Benazzouk, S., Djazouli, ZE. & Lutts, S. Assessment of the preventive effect of vermicompost on salinity resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig). Acta Physiol Plant 40, 121 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-018-2696-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-018-2696-6

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