Physiology of salt tolerance introgressions from

Introduction: Wild trait introgression is a valuable breeding tool for increasing tomato salinity tolerance. However, this process often results in deleterious linkage drag. Understanding the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying salinity response can aid in developing salt-tolerant cultivars while minimizing undesirable traits. This study investigates the salinity response of the tomato cultivar OH8245, Methods: The physiological and molecular responses of OH8245, LA1141, and the two ILs were analyzed under salinity stress. Key salinity tolerance traits were evaluated, including root characteristics, water status, ion homeostasis, stomatal density, photosynthetic rate, and relative growth rate. Differential gene expression analysis was conducted to identify genes associated with salinity tolerance, comparing the number and uniqueness of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across genotypes. Results: Discussion: Salinity tolerance is a complex trait that imposes an energy cost on the plant. However, key beneficial traits, including improved plant water potential, higher photosynthetic rate, and a lower sodium/potassium ratio, were successfully transferred from LA1141 to at least one of the ILs. These findings provide valuable insights for tomato breeding programs aimed at enhancing salinity tolerance while balancing growth and stress resistance traits.