Abstract
The K+, Na+/H+ antiporter LeNHX2 and the regulatory kinase SlSOS2 are important determinants of salt tolerance in tomato plants and their fruit production ability. In this work, we have analyzed the effects of LeNHX2 and SlSOS2 co-overexpression on fruit production, quality in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. MicroTom), and analyzed physiological parameters related to salt tolerance. Plants overexpressing LeNHX2, SlSOS2 or both were grown in greenhouse. They were treated with 125 mM NaCl or left untreated and their salt tolerance was analyzed in terms of plant biomass and fruit yield. Under NaCl cultivation conditions, transgenic tomato plants overexpressing either SlSOS2 or LeNHX2 or both grew better and showed a higher biomass compared to their wild-type plants. Proline, glucose and protein content in leaves as well as pH and total soluble solid (TSS) in fruits were analyzed. Our results indicate that salinity tolerance of transgenic lines is associated with an increased proline, glucose and protein content in leaves of plants grown either with or without NaCl. Salt treatment significantly reduced yield, pH and TSS in fruits of WT plants but increased yield, pH and TSS in fruits of transgenic plants, especially those overexpressing both LeNHX2 and SlSOS2. All these results indicate that the co-overexpression of LeNHX2 and SlSOS2 improve yield and fruit quality of tomato grown under saline conditions.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Professor Dr. Boujamaa El Kouy from the English Studies Department at Multidisciplinary Faculty of Nador for this careful reading of the paper and improving the quality of English language of our manuscript.
Funding
This work was supported by grants from National Centre for Scientific and Technical Research-CNRST and Minister for Higher Education, Scientific Research and Executive Training—Morocco (PPR/2015/21). Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía, Spain (CVI-7558 to MPRR), Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and Agencia Estatal de Investigación (BIO2015-65056-P, BIO2016-81957-REDT/AEI and Programa I-COOPB + 2013 Ref: COOPB20053).
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Maach, M., Rodríguez-Rosales, M.P., Venema, K. et al. Improved yield, fruit quality, and salt resistance in tomato co-overexpressing LeNHX2 and SlSOS2 genes. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 27, 703–712 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-021-00974-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-021-00974-8