Evaluation of the Salt Tolerance Potential of Commercial Brassica Cultivars

Abstract

ABSTRACT The growing population requires higher crop yields, and one promising approach is growing crops in less fertile lands. To do this successfully, we must understand how well different crops can tolerate salt stress. In this study, we evaluated the salt tolerance potential of five commercial Brassica cultivars (Westar, Faisal canola, Punjab canola, Nifa Gold, and Aari canola) under controlled conditions. We grew these cultivars in a medium with varying levels of NaCl (ranging from 0 to 300 mM). We measured different growth parameters and their root architecture using an automated root scanner. Salt stress affected the growth of all cultivars. However, one cultivar, Aari canola, showed remarkable resilience. It showed up to 1.4-fold higher germination, up to 9-fold higher germination index, up to 7.7-fold fresh weight, and 2.4-fold dry biomass than the rest of the cultivars under the stress conditions. While other cultivars demonstrated reductions of up to 31% in root volume, 20% in root surface area, and 19% in the number of root tips under salt stress, Aari canola displayed minimal changes in these parameters. Aari canola, however, exhibited a substantial reduction in root diameter (up to 60%). The cultivar’s unique morphological adaptations in root architecture to salt stress, characterized by noticeable increases in root volume, surface area, and root tips at the cost of reduced root diameter, imply the presence of an intrinsic defensive mechanism against salinity, making it a good candidate for cultivation in saline terrains.