Sources of high tolerance to salinity in pea (Pisum sativum L.)

• Published in: Euphytica 2013, Vol.189 (2), p.203-216
• Main Authors: Leonforte, A., Forster, J. W., Redden, R. J., Nicolas, M. E., Salisbury, P. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Dry matter; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; Genetic resources, diversity; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Genotype & phenotype; Legumes; Life Sciences; Peas; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant growth; Plant material; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant resistance; Plant Sciences; Salinity; Salinity tolerance; Selective breeding; Sodium chloride
• ISSN: 0014-2336; 1573-5060
• DOI: 10.1007/s10681-012-0771-4

This study was aimed at identification of parental germplasm that could be used for improvement of tolerance to sodium chloride (NaCl) in field pea. An initial screening experiment of 780 globally-distributed Pisum L. accessions identified significant variation in response to applied NaCl, based on plant symptoms. Lines with relatively higher tolerance as compared to commercial varieties grown in Australia were most frequently identified within landraces originating from the central, eastern and southern provinces of China. The most tolerant identified accession was an unadapted landrace ‘ATC1836’ originating from Greece. Variation for salinity tolerance was validated using a sub-set of 70 accession lines. Salinity-induced toxicity symptoms were closely associated with reductions of plant growth rate, height, shoot and root dry matter and with increased concentration of Na + at the plant growing tip. The level of salinity tolerance based on these factors varied substantially and provides an important basis for genetic improvement of field pea for Australia.