Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Riverside, California » Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410963
Research Project: Understanding and Improving Salinity Tolerance in Specialty Crops

Location: Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit

Title: Evaluating new breeding material for salinity tolerance in almond rootstocks and exploring novel sources of salinity tolerance in Prunus germplasm

Author
item Sandhu, Devinder
item Ferreira, Jorge
item Suarez, Donald
item GRADZIEL, THOMAS - University Of California, Davis

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The primary objective of our project is to breed new almond rootstocks that combine vigor, disease, insect resistance, and salinity tolerance. Dr. Tom Gradziel's breeding program at UC Davis has been pivotal, assessing multiple lines for traits such as growth performance and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our evaluation focused on salinity tolerance in these elite lines, categorizing hybrids by their trunk diameter's relative change, which ranged between 0.83 and 1.08. Notably, genotypes TG 34, TG 22, TG 26, TG 20, and TG 18 stood out for their robust salinity tolerance and lower leaf sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) levels. Conversely, genotypes SG 100, SG 162, and SG 161, less resilient to salt, exhibited higher leaf ion concentrations. We also established the proline concentration ratio (salt/control) as a reliable biochemical indicator of salinity tolerance in Prunus. In the 2023-24 season, our research is broadening its scope to assess various variety selections along with a range of new rootstocks from our breeding program for their salinity tolerance.