Comparison Between a Tetraploid Turnip and Its Diploid Progenitor (Brassica rapa L.): The Adaptation to Salinity Stress

Polyploidy is pursued in plant breeding programs due mainly to its ability to yield larger vegetative or reproductive organs. In controlled growth chamber experiments, a tetraploid turnip (cv. Aijiaohuang, 4n) and its diploid progenitor (cv. Aijiaohuang, 2n) were evaluated for their tolerance to salinity stress via investigations on a group of physiological parameters. The results indicate that the tetraploid turnip exhibit better adaptation to a high concentration salt medium (200 mmol L−1), as evidenced by a less-affected germination rate and a healthier morphological appearance at the seedling stage. Furthermore, an extension of salinity stress up to a certain period of time at the 5-7-leaf stage shows differences between the tetraploid turnip and its diploid progenitor. The former had a higher K+/Na+ ratio in the roots, higher glutathione concentration and antioxidant activities in the leaves, and smaller reductions in photosynthetic capacity in terms of leaf chlorophyll content. Studies on the differences between an autopolyploid and its respective relative, from which the autopolyploid originated, in terms of their tolerance to salinity and/or other abiotic stresses, have remained rather limited. The comparison is interesting due to a homogenous genetic background.