MODULATION OF ION UPTAKE IN TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) PLANTS WITH EXOGENOUS APPLICATION OF CALCIUM UNDER SALT STRESS CONDITION

Salinity affects almost every aspect of the physiology and biochemistry of plants due to both osmotic stress and ionic toxicity. We studied the variation of ion uptake in tomato cv, BARI Tomato-5 under different levels of salinity (0,2,4,6 and 8 dS m(-1)) and their mitigation by different concentration of Ca2+(0, 5, 10 mM). The results showed that salt stress significantly affects the stomatal conductance of tomato. Salt treatment markedly increased the uptake of Na+ and decreased both K+ and Ca2+ uptake in the leaves of tomato. The uptake of Na* decreased and uptake of Ca2+ and K+ increased in tomato when salt stressed plants were treated with Ca2+. Our results revealed that Ca supplementation can effectively reduce the saltinduced ionic toxicity in tomato plants. Exogenous application of Ca2+ significantly mitigates the adverse effects of salt induced ionic toxicity.