ROLE OF HALOPRIMING IN IMPROVING GROWTH AND YIELD OF SALT STRESS AFFECTED RICE

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Research Field of the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207 during the period from November, 2018 to May, 2019 to investigate the role of halopriming (HP) in improving growth and yield of salt stress (S) affected rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BRRI dhan67) plant. The experiment consists of nine treatments viz. T 1 =Control, T 2 = HP 1 (0.25 dSm -1 ), T 3 (0.5 dSm -1 ), T 4 = S 1 (8 dSm -1 ), T 5 = S 2 (12 dSm -1 ), T 6 = S 1 HP 1 (8 dSm -1 = HP 2 + 0.25 dSm

= S 1 HP 2 (8 dSm -1 + 0.5 dSm -1 ),T 8 = S 2 HP 1 (12 dSm -1 + 0.25 dSm = S 2 HP 2 (12 dSm -1 + 0.5 dSm -1 ) based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on different growth parameters, physiological parameters and yield contributing characters of rice plants were recorded. Salt stress drastically decreased plant height (cm), number of tillers plant -1 , leaf area, SPAD meter reading ( chlorophyll measurement of leaf), days to flowering, number of effective tillers plant 1 , panicle length, number of fertile grains plant -1 -1 -1 ) and T 9 , number of unfertile grains plant , 1000 seed weight, total weight of grains, dry weight of stem, leaf, root leaf membrane stability index (LMSI), relative water content (RWC) and K contents in shoot and root whereas as increased Na in root and shoot. Between two salinity level (S 1 and S 2 1 , 12 dSm -1 ), the damaging effect was higher in higher salinity level (S 2 ). On the other hand, the damaging effects of salt stress were improved by halopriming. The rice plants performed better in response to halopriming under salt stress condition. Between the different levels, halopriming with 0.50 dSm NaCl (HP 2 ) showed the better results in terms of growth, physiology, yield attributes and yield.