Effect of titanium foliar applications on tomato fruits from plants grown under salt stress conditions

Victor H. CARBAJAL-VÁZQUEZ,Adriana CONTRERAS-OLIVA,Gabriel ALCÁNTAR-GONZÁLEZ,Fernando C. GÓMEZ-MERINO,José A. HERRERA-CORREDOR,Libia I. TREJO-TÉLLEZ

doi:10.15835/nbha48211904

Victor H. CARBAJAL-VÁZQUEZ, Adriana CONTRERAS-OLIVA + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha48211904

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Abstract

Salt stress affects plant metabolism, while beneficial elements such as titanium (Ti) may stimulate adaptive responses to mitigate salt stress. Here we evaluated the main effects of sodium chloride (NaCl 0, 50 and 100 mM) in the nutrient solution, and of titanium foliar spray (Ti 0.75 and 150 mg L-1), as well as the interaction of these study factors, on tomato cv. ‘Rio Supremo’ performance in greenhouse. Plants were treated with NaCl during 80 d through automated drip irrigation; while eight Ti foliar sprayings were applied with a manual sprayer, at intervals of 10 d each. Yield and quality parameters of fruits were evaluated in the second cluster. NaCl reduced yield parameters, pH value and increased the titratable acidity (TA), electrical conductivity (EC), and total soluble solids (TSS), as well as the TSS/TA ration in the fruits. Ti did not affect yield parameters, though it reduced the pH and increased the TSS/TA ratio of fruits. NaCl and Ti have differential effects on fruit quality as separate factors, while the interaction of both factors revealed that Ti effects dependent on the presence of NaCl and its level in the nutrient solution. In conclusion, Ti did not mitigate the negative effects of saline stress on the evaluated yield parameters, but importantly, with moderate levels of NaCl in the nutrient solution (50 mM), Ti increased EC, TA and TSS of fruits.

Highlights

Salinity is a critical problem worldwide, and its adverse effects in agriculture tend to increase, due to global climate change (Wichelns and Qadir, 2014)
Sodium chloride (NaCl) as a single factor had a significant effect on yield parameters, while the main effect of Ti and the interaction NaCl × Ti did not significantly affect the evaluated yield variables (Table 1)
The responses produced by beneficial elements such as Ti are represented by biphasic models, at low-doses stimulation and high-doses of inhibitory effects (Gómez-Merino and Trejo-Téllez, 2018), these results show that the Ti effect depends too much on the intensity of salt stress

Summary

Introduction

Salinity is a critical problem worldwide, and its adverse effects in agriculture tend to increase, due to global climate change (Wichelns and Qadir, 2014). Titratable acidity, colour, electrical conductivity, firmness, pH, and total soluble solids are considered key indicators defining the quality of tomato fruits. Tomato fruit quality tends to improve in protected agricultural systems as compared to open-air systems, various production systems in greenhouses have been implemented, including hydroponics and fertigation, chemical and organic fertilization, and biostimulation by using beneficial elements (Casierra-Posada and Aguilar-Avendaño, 2008; García-Sahagún et al, 2009). Beneficial elements are not essential for plants, they can stimulate positive responses in certain metabolic processes when applied at low dosages (Trejo-Téllez et al, 2016). When plants are exposed to different environmental stresses, beneficial elements can induce tolerance, resistance, or defence responses that allow them to reach acclimatization and cope with stress factors (Gómez-Merino and Trejo-Téllez, 2018)

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