Growth, Yield, and Bunch Quality of "Superior Seedless" Vines Grown on Different Rootstocks Change in Response to Salt Stress

Plants (Basel). 2021 Oct 19;10(10):2215. doi: 10.3390/plants10102215.

Abstract

The growth and quality of vines are negatively affected by soil salinity if enough salts accumulate in the root zone. As part of the current study, we estimated the remediating effects of rootstocks under salinity. For this reason, "superior seedless" vines were grafted onto three different rootstocks, such as SO4, 1103 Paulson, and own-root ("superior seedless" with their own-root). The experiment was conducted in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. This study examines the effects of different rootstocks on vine growth, yield, and quality using "superior seedless" vines grown in sandy soil with salinity. Four stages of berry development were examined (flowering, fruit set, veraison, and harvest time). At harvest, yield characteristics (clusters per vine and cluster weight) were also assessed. Each parameter of the growth season was influenced separately. The K+ and Na+ ratios were also significantly increased, as were the salinity symptoms index and bunch yield per vine and quality. Rootstock 1103 Paulson improved photosynthetic pigments, K+ accumulation, Na+ uptake, and cell membrane damage in "superior seedless" vines compared to other rootstocks, according to the study results. As determined in the arid regions of northwestern Egypt, the 1103 Paulson can mitigate salinity issues when planting "superior seedless" vines on sandy soil.

Keywords: bunches quality; rootstocks; soil salinity; superior seedless.