GRAFTING BETWEEN TWO CULTIVARS OF CHERRY TOMATO DIFFERING IN THEIR TOLERANCE TO DROUGHT: EFFECT IN NITROGEN-USE EFFICIENCY

Nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) is one of the determining factors in crop productivity. This work explored the NUE in plants of cherry tomato differing in their tolerance to drought and how it can be affected by grafting. The aim of the present study was to test whether the cultivar ‘Zarina’, with better tolerance to water stress, could be used as either rootstock or scion to improve the NUE of the cultivar ‘Josefina’ (drought-sensitive) under water stress conditions. Our results indicated that ZarxJos (rootstock ‘Zarina’) maintained the growth parameters and leaf relative-water content (LRWC) whereas increased some NUE parameters under water stress conditions. However, JosxZar (scion ‘Zarina’) shows a decrease in LRWC and some NUE parameters under water stress conditions. Hence, ‘Zarina’ could be considered adequate as a rootstock to improve NUE in drought-sensitive cultivars.