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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp2 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Screening onion varieties for sodicity tolerance: Insights from physiological parameters and gene expression studies

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11024
Submitted
1 August 2025
Published
15-06-2026

Abstract

Sodicity is an important abiotic stress that limits crop production by altering many physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Onion is very sensitive to sodicity, which affects germination, plant growth and productivity. The present study was undertaken to screen onion varieties for sodicity tolerance. Fourteen bulb and four aggregatum onion (two seeds and two bulbs propagated) varieties were subjected to different levels of sodicity under laboratory conditions and physiological parameters were observed. Extent of sodicity tolerance was tested by assessing vigour index, stress tolerance index (STI), membrane stability index (MSI) and total dry matter production (TDMP). The results revealed that with increasing concentration of salts, vigour index, MSI, STI and TDMP decreased drastically. All 18 varieties screened displayed differential responses. Based on the outcome of the laboratory studies in sodic conditions, the identified sodicity-tolerant varieties, viz., Bhima Safed, CO 6 and Thuraiyur and sodicity susceptible varieties, viz., Bhima Red, CO 5 and Perambalur, were further selected for RT-PCR to assess the expression of abiotic stress genes under sodic soil. From the molecular studies it was evident that the sodicity-tolerant onion varieties Bhima Safed, CO 6 and Thuraiyur show stable expression of Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), alternative oxidase (AOX) and Aquaporin (AQP) genes and are not affected by cultivation in sodic soil whereas the susceptible varieties viz., Bhima Red, CO 5, Perambalur showed downregulation of these genes. Investigating GAPDH, AOX and AQP signalling pathways will address the exact reason for the suppression of these genes under sodicity. Stable expression of the GAPDH gene may be used as a criterion for screening sodicity-tolerant onion varieties.

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