Salt Stress Responses in Early Seedling Growth Characteristics of Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] Genotypes

Abstract

In view of increasing salinity and intrusion of salt water into the cultivable land area under coastal saline region, germination and crop establishment is a major problem that influence on decrease in the production and productivity of blackgram. Hence, screening of 101 genotypes under different salt concentrations for growth characters paves way to identify the saline resistant genotypes. The upshot of saline stress on seedling growth characters of 101 genotypes which are collected from different eco geographical regions subjected to Half strength Hoagland and Arnon’s solution (T1), Half strength Hoagland Arnon’s solution +NaCl treatment @100mM, 150mM, 200mM and 250mM concentration @7th, 10th, 13th, 16th days (T2) respectively and Half strength Hoagland and Arnon’s solution (control) (T3) during January 2022. Highly significant variation exhibited among the various genotypes for different seedling growth characters viz., leaf area per plant, total number of leaves per plant, dry weight of leaves per plant, dry weight of shoot per plant, dry weight of roots per plant and dry weight of the whole plant. Salinity has the adverse effect on the growth characters. Among the genotypes studied, AUB-08-33(G81) and CBG-09-08(G18) showed maximum mean values under different NaCl concentrations (T2), recommended as donor parent for hybridization as well as candidate genotype in crop improvement for saline soil.