Grafting Enables Cantaloupe to Tolerate More Saline Stress

Abstract

Grafting cantaloupe plants onto cucurbita rootstocks make it utilize by these rootstocks features i.e. higher absorption mass of water and nutrient, higher surface area and abiotic stress tolerance. The cantaloupe Cucumis melo var cantaloupensis Cv. Marella was grafted onto three rootstocks were Shintosa, Star and Copalt. The plants were grown hydroponically in sand culture under three saline concentrations of 0, 100 and 150 mM NaCl for 30 days to investigate the effects of salinity on grafted Cantaloupe plants compare non-grafted ones. The results proved that grafted plants recorded higher growth parameter, shoot and root fresh and dry biomass, shoot length, number of leaves and stem diameter compare to non-grafted plants under saline and control conditions. Mineral uptake was significantly affected by rootstocks and salinity levels. Accumulation of sodium (Na+ ) was reduced in grafted plants compared with non-grafted ones. Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K+ ) and Magnesium (Mg++) uptake by shoots of both grafted and non-grafted Cantaloupe gradually decreased with increasing NaCl salt concentration. The concentration of K + , N and Mg++ were higher in grafted plant leaves than non-grafted ones. Ratios of K+ /Na+ , N/Na+ and Mg++/Na+ were significantly affected by salt treatments and positively correlated with plant growth parameters. These ratios recorded higher values in grafted plants compared non-grafted ones under both saline and control conditions. Finally, the results proved that grafted Cantaloupe plants had a better performance than the non-grafted ones especially that grafted onto Star rootstock which may be recommended as a rootstock for Cantaloupe under such saline conditions.