Grafting onto Different Rootstocks Modulates Fruit Quality in Eggplant Under Salt Stress

Öz

Grafting has emerged as an effective agronomic strategy in eggplant cultivation to mitigate the adverse effects of salt stress—a major abiotic factor limiting yield and quality. In this study, the effects of grafting onto different rootstocks on fruit quality traits under salt stress were investigated. The experiment was conducted in 2024 in a soilless greenhouse equipped with automated irrigation and fertilization systems. Eight rootstocks (AG38R F₁, AGR 703 F₁, Boğaç F₁, Kingkong F₁, Hercules, Hikyaku F₁, Yula F₁, and Hawk) were used, with the commercial cultivar Anamur RZ F₁ as the scion. Non-grafted and self-grafted Anamur RZ F₁ plants served as controls. Plants were grown in a peat-perlite substrate and subjected to 0, 25, and 50 mM NaCl treatments. A modified Hoagland nutrient solution was used, and fruit quality traits were analyzed.The parameters evaluated included soluble solids content (SSC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), titratable acidity (TA), fruit firmness, and fruit skin color (L*, Chroma, Hue°). Salt stress generally increased SSC, EC, TA, and fruit firmness, while pH and color parameters varied depending on rootstock. AG38R F₁ and Hawk showed high SSC and pH values; Hercules and Hawk were effective in reducing EC and limiting ionic accumulation. Hikyaku F₁ had the highest fruit firmness. Hawk and Hercules enhanced skin brightness under salt stress. TA levels increased in response to salinity. Overall, the negative effects of salt stress were significantly mitigated through proper rootstock selection, and fruit quality was preserved. Certain rootstocks proved effective in improving physiological and quality performance under high salinity conditions.–

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Solanum melongena
• salt stress
• fruit color
• fruit quality
• rootstock

Tuz Stresi Altında Patlıcanda Farklı Anaçlara Aşılamanın Meyve Kalitesi Üzerine Etkisi

Öz

Patlıcan yetiştiriciliğinde önemli stres faktörlerinden biri olan tuz stresine karşı aşılama özellikle uygun anaç-kalem kombinasyonları kullanılarak, bitki gelişimi ve meyve kalitesi üzerinde olumlu etkiler sağlayan etkili bir tarımsal strateji olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Bu maksatla yürütülen çalışmada farklı anaçlar üzerine aşılamanın patlıcan meyvelerinde kalite üzerine etkileri araştırılmıştır. Çalışma, 2024 yılında sulama ve gübreleme otomasyonuna sahip topraksız tarım serasında yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada, sekiz farklı patlıcan anacı (AG38R F₁, AGR 703 F₁, Boğaç F₁, Kingkong F₁, Hercules, Hikyaku F₁, Yula F₁ ve Hawk) kullanılmış, ticari çeşit olarak Anamur RZ F₁ tercih edilmiştir. Aşısız ve kendi üzerine aşılı Anamur RZ F₁ bitkileri kontrol olarak kullanılmıştır. Bitkiler, torf-perlit karışımında yetiştirilmiş, 0, 25 ve 50 mM NaCl seviyelerinde tuz stresi uygulanmıştır. Bitkiler modifiye Hoagland solüsyonu ile sulanmış ve meyvelerde kalite analizleri gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada; suda çözünür kuru madde (SÇKM), pH, elektriksel iletkenlik (EC), titre edilebilir asitlik (TA), meyve eti sertliği ve meyve kabuk rengi (L*, Chroma, Hue°) parametreleri incelenmiştir. Tuz stresi genel olarak SÇKM, EC, TA ve meyve sertliği üzerinde artırıcı etki yaparken, pH ve renk parametrelerinde anaçlara bağlı değişimler gözlenmiştir. AG38R F₁ ve Hawk, yüksek SÇKM ve pH değerleriyle öne çıkarken, Hercules ve Hawk düşük EC değerleriyle iyon birikimini azaltmada etkili olmuştur. En yüksek meyve eti sertliği Hikyaku F₁ anacında ölçülmüştür. Hawk ve Hercules anaçları meyve kabuk renginde açıklığı artırmıştır. TA değerleri tuzla birlikte artış göstermiştir. Sonuç olarak, tuz stresinin olumsuz etkileri anaç seçimiyle önemli ölçüde azaltılmış ve meyve kalitesi korunmuştur. Uygun anaçlar, özellikle yüksek tuz koşullarında bitkilerin fizyolojik ve kalite performansını iyileştirmede etkili olmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Solanum melongena
• tuz stresi
• meyve rengi
• meyve kalitesi
• anaç

Kaynakça

1. Arvanitoyannis, I. S., Khah, E. M., Christakou, E. C., & Bletsos, F. A. (2005). Effect of grafting and modified atmosphere packaging on eggplant quality parameters during storage. International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 40(3), 311–322.
2. Bhatti, K. H., Kausar, N., Rashid, U., Hussain, K., Nawaz, K., & Siddiqi, E. H. (2013). Effects of biotic stresses on eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). World Applied Sciences Journal, 26(3), 302–311.
3. Bresler, E., McNeal, B. L. M., & Carter, D. L. (1982). Saline and sodic soils: Principles, dynamics, modelling. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York, p. 236.
4. Cassaniti, C., Giuffrida, F., Scuderi, D., & Leonardi, C. (2011). Effect of rootstock and nutrient solution concentration on eggplant grown in a soilless system. Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, 9, 252–256. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.
5. Colla, G., Rouphael, Y., Mirabelli, C., & Cardarelli, M. (2011). Nitrogen-use efficiency traits of mini-watermelon in response to grafting and nitrogen fertilization doses. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 174, 933–941. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201000325
6. Dilmaçünal, T., Koyuncu, M. A., Aktaş, H., & Bayındır, D. (2011). The effects of several postharvest treatments on shelf life quality of bunch tomatoes. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca, 39(2), 209–213.
7. El-Shraiy, A. M., Mostafa, M. A., Zaghlool, S. A., & Shehata, S. A. M. (2011). Alleviation of salt injury of cucumber plant by grafting onto salt tolerance rootstock. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(10), 1414–1423.FAO.
8. 2023. Global Soil Partnership. Available online: https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1412475/

9. FAO. 2023. Global Soil Partnership. Available online: https://www.fao.org/global-soil-partnership/resources/highlights/detail/en/c/1412475/
10. Flores, F. B., Sanchez-Bel, P., Estañ, M. T., Martinez-Rodriguez, M. M., Moyano, E., Morales, B., ... & Bolarín, M. C. (2010). The effectiveness of grafting to improve tomato fruit quality. Scientia Horticulturae, 125(3), 211–217.
11. Gerçekcioğlu, R., Asarkaya, U., & Özatasever, Ö. (2019). ‘0900 Ziraat’ kiraz çeşidinde bor uygulamasının verim ve meyve kalitesine etkisi. Gaziosmanpaşa Bilimsel Araştırma Dergisi, 8(3), 120–129.
12. Gisbert, C., Prohens, J., & Nuez, F. (2011). Performance of eggplant grafted onto cultivated, wild, and hybrid materials of eggplant and tomato. International Journal of Plant Production, 5(4), 367–380.
13. Giuffrida, D., Dugo, P., Torre, G., Bignardi, C., Cavazza, A., Corradini, C., & Dugo, G. (2014). Evaluation of carotenoid and capsaicinoid contents in powder of red chili peppers during one year of storage. Food Research International, 65, 163–170.
14. Hannachi, S., Steppe, K., Eloudi, M., Mechi, L., Bahrini, I., & Van Labeke, M. C. (2022). Salt stress induced changes in photosynthesis and metabolic profiles of one tolerant (‘Bonica’) and one sensitive (‘Black Beauty’) eggplant cultivars (Solanum melongena L.). Plants, 11, 590.
15. Hoagland, D. R., & Arnon, D. I. (1950). The water culture method for growing plants without soils. California Agricultural Experiment Station Circular, 347. Berkeley: The College of Agriculture, University of California.
16. Huang, W., Liao, S., Lv, H., Khaldun, A. B. M., & Wang, Y. (2015). Characterization of the growth and fruit quality of tomato grafted on a woody medicinal plant, Lycium chinense. Scientia Horticulturae, 197, 447–453.
17. Lee, J. M. (1994). Cultivation of grafted vegetables. I. Current status, grafting methods, and benefits. HortScience, 29, 235–239.
18. Liu, Z. L., Zhu, Y. L., Hu, C. M., Wei, G. P., Yang, L. F., & Zhang, G. W. (2007). Effects of NaCl stress on the growth, antioxidant enzyme activities and reactive oxygen metabolism of grafted eggplant. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao = The Journal of Applied Ecology, 18(3), 537–541.
19. Maas, U. (1984). Als der Geist der Gemeinschaft eine Sprache fand. Sprache im Nationalsozialismus. Sprachwissenschaft, 361.
20. Mizrahi, Y. (1982). Effect of salinity on tomato fruit ripening. Plant Physiology, 69(4), 966–970. Moncada, A., Miceli, A., Vetrano, F., Mineo, V., Planeta, D., & D’Anna, F. (2013). Effect of grafting on yield and quality of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). Scientia Horticulturae, 149, 108–114.
21. Mozafarian, M., Hawrylak-Nowak, B., & Kappel, N. (2023). Effect of different rootstocks on the salt stress tolerance and fruit quality of grafted eggplants (Solanum melongena L.). Plants, 12(20), 3631.
22. Mozafarian, M., Ismail, N. S. B., & Kappel, N. (2020). Rootstock effects on yield and some consumer important fruit quality parameters of eggplant cv. ‘Madonna’ under protected cultivation. Agronomy, 10(9), 1442.
23. Munns, R., & Tester, M. (2008). Mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 59, 651–681. Panagiotakis, G. D. (2013). The biochemistry and physiology of different hybrid and grafted eggplants in response to NaCl salinity in soil and hydroponic systems (Ph.D. thesis). Cranfield University.
24. Petretto, G. L., Urgeghe, P. P., Massa, D., & Melito, S. (2019). Effect of salinity (NaCl) on plant growth, nutrient content, and glucosinolate hydrolysis products trends in rocket genotypes. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 141, 30–39.
25. Rao, N. S., Shivashankara, K. S., & Laxman, R. H. (Eds.). (2016). Abiotic stress physiology of horticultural crops (Vol. 311). New Delhi, India: Springer.
26. Rouphael, Y., Schwarz, D., Krumbein, A., & Colla, G. (2010). Impact of grafting on product quality of fruit vegetables. Scientia Horticulturae, 127(2), 172–179.
27. Sabatino, L., Iapichino, G., D’Anna, F., Palazzolo, E., Mennella, G., & Rotino, G. L. (2018). Hybrids and allied species as potential rootstocks for eggplant: Effect of grafting on vigour, yield and overall fruit quality traits. Scientia Horticulturae, 228, 81–90.
28. Sabatino, L., Iapichino, G., Rotino, G., Palazzolo, E., Mennella, G., & D’Anna, F. (2019). Solanum aethiopicum gr. Gilo and its interspecific hybrid with S. melongena as alternative rootstocks for eggplant: Effects on vigor, yield, and fruit physicochemical properties of cultivar. Agronomy, 9, 223.
29. Sanwal, S. K., Mann, A., Kumar, A., Kesh, H., Kaur, G., Rai, A. K., ... & Kumar, P. (2022). Salt tolerant eggplant rootstocks modulate sodium partitioning in tomato scion and improve performance under saline conditions. Agriculture, 12(2), 183.
30. Savvas, D., Colla, G., Rouphael, Y., & Schwarz, D. (2010). Amelioration of heavy metal and nutrient stress in fruit vegetables by grafting. Scientia Horticulturae, 127, 156–161.
31. Schwarz, D., Rouphael, Y., Colla, G., & Venema, J. H. (2010). Grafting as a tool to improve tolerance of vegetables to abiotic stresses: Thermal stress, water stress and organic pollutants. Scientia Horticulturae, 127(2), 162–171. Semiz, G. D., & Suarez, D. L. (2019). Impact of grafting, salinity and irrigation water composition on eggplant fruit yield and ion relations. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 19373.
32. Sifola, M. I., De Pascale, S., & Romano, R. (1995, March). Analysis of quality parameters in eggplant grown under saline water irrigation. In I International Symposium on Solanacea for Fresh Market (Vol. 412, pp. 176–184).
33. Singh, A. (2022). Soil salinity: A global threat to sustainable development. Soil Use and Management, 38(1), 39–67.
34. Talhouni, M., Sönmez, K., Kiran, S., Beyaz, R., Yıldız, M., Kuşvuran, Ş., & Ellialtıoğlu, Ş. Ş. (2019). Comparison of salinity effects on grafted and non-grafted eggplants in terms of ion accumulation, MDA content and antioxidative enzyme activities. Advances in Horticultural Science, 33(1), 87–96.
35. Tezcan, A., Demir, H., Kaman, H., & Can, M. (2025). Yield response of greenhouse grown grafted eggplant to partial root drying and conventional deficit irrigation. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 31(2), 516–531.
36. Turhan, A., Ozmen, N., Serbeci, M. S., & Seniz, V. (2011). Effects of grafting on different rootstocks on tomato fruit yield and quality. Horticultural Science, 38(4), 142–149.
37. Yadav, S. P., Bharadwaj, R., Nayak, H., Mahto, R., Singh, R. K., & Prasad, S. K. (2019). Impact of salt stress on growth, productivity and physicochemical properties of plants: A review. International Journal of Chemical Studies, 7, 1793–1798.