PERFORMANCE OF SORGHUM VARIETIES UNDER SALT STRESS

Abstract

Two pot experiments were conducted at the laboratory of Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohamad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), during the period from October, 2017 to April, 2018. Experiment one; the seeds of seven sorghum varieties viz. Adam Gab, Karmici, Debuday, ESP/S01, Green Jambuplus, Jambo and Elmi Jama as screened for salt tolerance during germination and seedling growth. The seeds of the seven sorghum varieties are placed in a plastic pot (25 cm x 12 cm) on sand bed irrigated with tap water (control) and NaCl (100 and 200 mM salinity levels) solutions. Data were collected on germination character and seedling growth at parameters, the experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications. The collected data were analyzed statistically and means were adjudged by DMRT at 1 and 5% level of probability. The result of the experiment patent the salinity stress be the reducing the performance of the sorghum varieties significantly in all sorghum varieties. The lowest germination percentage, germination rate, the root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh weight, root dry weight and shoot dry weight as always recorded in Debuday varieties while the highest inhibition be Karmici varieties. Experiment two; the seeds of Debuday (tolerant variety) and Karmici (susceptible variety) selected from the first experiment were grown in five salinity levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) of NaCl to notice the degree of salt tolerability and susceptibility between these two varieties based on yield and yield contributing characters. Salt solution was prepared artificially by dissolving calculated amount of commercially available NaCl with tap water. The salt solution was applied as per treatment specification. Plant height, number of leaves plant-1, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, plant fresh leaves weight, turgid weight, leaves dry weight, number of tillers, effective tillers, non-effective tillers, panicle length, grain per panicle, filled grain, unfilled grain reduced in both varieties although the reduction was higher in Karmici than Debuday. For that reason, it possibly will recommended that Debuday is a more salt tolerant sorghum variety and Karmici is a more susceptible one.