Salinity stress tolerance in camelina: A focus on the germination stage for crop improvement

Camelina is gaining recognition as a promising alternative crop due to its high seed oil content and as a potential salt tolerant crop on marginal land not suitable for major commodities. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of varying salinity levels and different types of salt on the germination process of camelina, investigating the physiological, morphometric, and biochemical mechanisms underlying salinity tolerance. Seeds from two spring genotypes, NS Slatka and NS Zlatka, were subjected to salinity stress through saline solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) at concentrations of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM. Salinity levels of 150 mM and above negatively impacted most of the surveyed parameters, with Na₂SO₄ causing a more pronounced detrimental effect than NaCl. In general, NS Slatka was more sensitive to both tested salts in terms of germination and seedling growth parameters than NS Zlatka. At the same time, it exhibited greater stability under stressful conditions concerning leaf dimensions, suggesting the possibility of different mechanisms for tolerating salt stress. As for root weight and seedling length, NS Zlatka demonstrated a slightly better tolerance to Na2SO4 compared to NaCl. Proline accumulation was higher in NS Zlatka, particularly under Na₂SO₄ stress, indicating that this genotype may employ more efficient mechanisms to mitigate salt-induced stress. The high germination recovery rate (exceeding 40 % for both genotypes under the tested salt type) indicated that salinity only has a temporary effect on camelina seed germination, which can suggest interesting applications in soils affected by salinity fluctuation. The results of this study underscored the importance of understanding responses to different salt types and levels of stress, to identify the most suitable camelina genotypes to different salt-affected areas.