Comparative Analysis of Salt Stress Responses in the Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L.) Cultivars: Insights From Morphological and Physiological Assessments

Abstract

This study investigates the physiological responses of three grapevine cultivars to salt stress. Cuttings from cv. 'Sultana seedless', cv. 'Hamburg muscat' and the local variety cv. 'Ercis uzumu', were utilized. After rooting, the cuttings were brought to the vegetative stage with a single internode before subjecting them to salt treatments. Salt stress was induced using NaCl solutions at concentrations of 0, 50, and 100 mM at four-day intervals. Throughout the experiment, various physiological parameters were assessed, including ion homeostasis, osmotic regulation, antioxidant activity, and mineral uptake in different plant tissues. Our findings revealed significant variations in salt tolerance among the tested grapevine cultivars. Specifically, cv. 'Ercis uzumu' exhibited robust physiological responses to salt stress, indicating high tolerance, while cv. 'Sultana seedless' demonstrated moderate responses, and cv. 'Hamburg muscat' displayed heightened sensitivity to salt stress at the physiological level.