Comparative evaluation of eggplant genotypes with their wild relatives under gradually increased drought stress

ABSTRACT

Climate change severely affects plant production and threatens life. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is known as moderate tolerant to abiotic stresses. Drought is one of the most effective abiotic factor limits the agricultural production. In this study, 15 different eggplant genotypes, including wild relatives–Solanum macrocarpon L., Solanum linnaeanum Hepper & Jaeger, Solanum incanum L. group C, Solanum insanum (S. melongena L. group E), Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. and Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav., local genotypes (TB, BB, MK, AH), and commonly grown commercial varieties (Topan 374, Kemer, Amadeo F1, Faselis F1, Bildircin F1) were used as a plant material to observe their responses under drought stress. Study was planned according to completely randomized block design with three replications. Plants were subjected to three different irrigation treatments, which were control (full irrigation) and two drought treatments, in which water deficit applied by 50 and 75% with respect to the control and their responses were observed by using physiological and phenotypical parameters. According to the findings, a 75%-water deficit allowed for faster and more efficient selection of tolerant individuals. This study additionally demonstrated that simple morphological data might be utilized to identify drought tolerance of eggplants. Thus, with these parameters, drought tolerance levels of eggplant germplasm can be evaluated without high-costed analysis at early growth stage. Moreover, genotypes MK, BB and TB together with wild relatives S. insanum, S. incanum, S. macrocarpon, and S. linneanum have shown remarkable tolerance to the created drought conditions.

Key words abiotic stress; drought; eggplant; morphology; tolerance; wild relatives