Ivana Koleška University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, BiH

Dino Hasanagić University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Republic of Srpska, BiH

Rodoljub Oljača University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, BiH

Vida Todorović University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, BiH

Borut Bosančić University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Republic of Srpska, BiH

Senad Murtić University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, BiH

 

Two commercial tomato cultivars were used to determine whether grafting could prevent decrease of Ca2+ concentration under salt stress conditions. The cultivars Buran F1 and Berberana F1 were grafted onto rootstock "Maxifort" and grown under three levels of the elevated soil salinity (S1 EC 3.80 dS m-1, S2 6.95 dS m-1 and S3 9.12 dS m-1). Ca2+ concentration of non-grafted plants of both examined hybrids was lower at all salinity levels in comparison to the control. In the fruits of grafted plants salt stress significantly decreased Ca2+ concentration only at the third salinity level (EC 9.12 dS m-1). The possibility of grafting tomato plants to improve influx of Ca2+ under salt stress conditions is discussed.