Evaluation of Salinity Adaptation of Some Grapevine Cultivars using the Antioxidant Response Method for Production Sustainability in Arid and Semi-Arid Ecosystems

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student ، Department of Horticultural Sciences ، Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources ، Islamic Azad University of Jahrom ، Jahrom ، Iran.

2 Associate Professor ، Department of Horticultural Sciences ، Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources ، Islamic Azad University of Jahrom ، Jahrom ، Iran.

3 Associate Professor، Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center ، Agricultural Research ، Education and Extension Organization ، Shiraz ، Iran.

4 Mohammadi ، Associate Professor ، Department of Horticultural Sciences ، Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources ، Islamic Azad University of Jahrom ، Jahrom ، Iran

10.29252/aridbiom.2026.4281

Abstract

Water and soil salinity is one of the major constraints to agricultural production and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, the selection and use of cultivars adapted to saline conditions can play an important role in maintaining agricultural production and enabling the sustainable use of salt-affected lands. Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.), one of the economically important horticultural crops in Iran, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, exhibits considerable genetic diversity among native and introduced cultivars. This genetic diversity provides a valuable resource for identifying and utilizing salinity-tolerant genotypes in regions affected by water and soil salinity. The present study aimed to evaluate the salinity tolerance of different grape cultivars and identify genotypes with effective physiological and biochemical defense responses based on antioxidant activity. In this study, the response of 19 native grape cultivars and one introduced cultivar to salinity (including control, 2.5, and 5.0 dS m⁻¹) was investigated, and the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in leaves. The results showed that increasing salinity, particularly under highest stress level, significantly enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes in most cultivars. However, the magnitude and pattern of these responses varied considerably among cultivars. Under severe salinity, the cultivars ‘Yaghouti’ and ‘Mami Birjand’ exhibited a stronger defense response, as indicated by higher activities of key enzymes, particularly CAT, APX, and SOD, whereas ‘Iteh Zarghan’ and ‘Labrusca’ showed comparatively weaker antioxidant responses. These differences indicate the existence of genetic diversity in the adaptation capacity of grape cultivars to saline conditions. Overall, the cultivars Yaghouti and Mami Birjand have considerable potential as suitable genetic resources for stress adaptation studies and for selection and breeding programs aimed at developing grape cultivars suitable for cultivation in saline environments, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Arid Biome
Volume 16, Issue 1
March 2026
Pages 91-107

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