The effects of NaCl pre-treatment on salt tolerance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) callus grown under elevated saline conditions

The study was conducted to investigate the influence of NaCl pre-treatment on performance of callus cultures of salt sensitive Lycopersicon esculentum under salt stress conditions. Soluble proteins, proline, the activity of SOD and CAT antioxidative enzymes were used as indicators for salt tolerance.Increase in salinity level reduced survival rate and callus growth even in salt tolerant genotype at higher NaCl concentrations.The growth of untreatedand salt pre-treated L. esculentum calli was stopped at 70 and 105 mM NaCl respectively. The changes in soluble proteins, proline, and SOD and CAT enzymes activity in pre-treated callus of cultivated tomato due to the increased salinity level exhibited similar pattern of change of the wild salt tolerant tomato. The latter observation point to acquirement of salt pre-treated tomato callus tissues to a sort of salinity tolerance via a mechanism needs to be apprehended.