Screening of Tomato Cultivars for Cadmium Tolerance Based on Growth and Biomass attributes in Pot Experiment

Abstract

Tomatoes are an important vegetable crops and consumed all over the world as in either fresh or process food. Despite its nutritional significance, its production has been challenged by Cd contamination, increasing Cd concentration in agriculture soils threaten both crop productivity and public health, which become a threaten for tomato production and consumption. A controlled shade pot experiment was conducted on effect of different Cd concentrations on two screened two cultivars Red Pearl and Qinzu Shanghai 903. The physiological and morphological properties and seed germination of both cultivars were examined under low irrigation with 0, 10, 20, 40 and 60 (Cd) mg/kg. The results revealed that increasing Cd concentration decreasing the seed germination number, survival rate, shoot height, root length, dry and fresh plant of both tomato cultivars. However, Red Pearl exhibited greater tolerance than Qinzu Shanghai 903 by maintaining better growth and biomass under Cd stress. It was also observed that 10 mg/kg Cd received the better results compared with the other treatment followed by control. It is concluded that the both tomato cultivars morphological characteristics decline by the increasing Cd concentration. These findings indicate that Red Pearl is a promising Cd-tolerant cultivar and may be useful for cultivation and breeding programs in Cd contaminated soils.