Growth and water uptake both decreases when tomato plants are irrigated with saline water. To determine the relative contribution of physiological traits to these decreases plant fresh and dry weight, leaf area, leaf water (Psi(w)) and osmotic (Psi(Pi)) potentials, gas exchange parameters, stomatal density, leaf chlorophyll and Na content were investigated in the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) cultivars, Daniela and Moneymaker. Plants were grown in greenhouse, in sand culture, and irrigated with a complete nutrient solution supplied with 0 (control), 35 and 70 mM NaCl over a period of 2 months. Salinity reduced plant dry weight, height and number of leaves even at 35 mM NaCl. Leaf Psi(w) and Psi(Pi) decreased with salinity but leaf turgor pressures were significantly higher in salinised than in control plants which suggests that bulk tissue turgor did not limit growth under the saline conditions tested. Increasing salinity in the irrigation solution led to both morphological changes [(reduction of plant leaf area and stomatal density) and physiological changes [reduction of stomatal conductance, transpiration, and net CO(2) assimilation (A(CO(2)))] Plant water uptake, measured as the difference between volume of nutrient solution supplied and drainage collected, was closely related to transpiration, stomatal conductance, and stomatal density. Chlorophyll content per unit of leaf area increased with salinity. Reduction of net A(CO(2)) with salinity was explained in higher degree by stomatal conductance and stomatal density than by Na accumulation in the leaves. Although plant water uptake was similar for the two cultivars, Daniela transported, per unit of water uptake, more Na to the leaves than did Moneymaker. However, Daniela reduced leaf area less than did Moneymaker. Water use efficiency, calculated either as the ratio between total plant dry matter and total plant water uptake, or as the ratio between net A(CO(2)) and transpiration, did not change under our saline growth conditions. The contribution of the observed salt-responses to reduction in shoot water loss, plant water uptake and salt loading, while keeping water use efficiency, is discussed in relation to salt tolerance. Because some of these salt-responses take a long time to develop, growing seedlings in seedbeds with saline media could be of interest to better tolerate further salty conditions in the field or greenhouse.