Diverse Traits Contribute to Salinity Tolerance of Wild Tomato Seedlings from the Galapagos Islands

Wild tomato species endemic to the Galápagos Islands exhibit remarkable salinity tolerance, outperforming commercial tomato lines under high-salt conditions. This resilience, likely due to natural selection in their saline coastal habitats, positions them as a valuable genetic resource for enhancing salt tolerance in cultivated tomatoes. Researchers analyzed over 20 traits related to growth, physiology, and ion content in 67 accessions of Solanum cheesmaniae and Solanum galapagense, alongside two commercial lines (Solanum lycopersicum), using a 10-day hydroponic salt treatment. The study identified specific accessions (LA0317, LA1449, LA1403) with exceptionally high tolerance, suggesting potential for breeding programs. Publicly available data and tools further support the exploration of these traits to improve crop resilience.

Pailles, Y., Awlia, M., Julkowska, M., Passone, L., Zemmouri, K., Negrão, S., Schmöckel, S. M., & Tester, M. (2019). Diverse Traits Contribute to Salinity Tolerance of Wild Tomato Seedlings from the Galapagos Islands. Plant Physiology, 182(1), 534–546. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.19.00700