EFFECT OF SALINITY ON GROWTH, YIELD AND NUTRIENT CONTENTS IN DIFFERENT WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) CULTIVARS

Abstract

A pot experiment was held in the net house of the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-eBangla

Nagar, Dhaka-1207, during November 2016 to March 2017, to study the effect of salinity on growth, yield and nutrient contents in different wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. Three cultivar viz., BARI gom-24, BARI gom-25 and BARI gom-26 and five salinity treatments viz., S 0 (control), S v

1 (3 dSm -1 ), S 2 (6 dSm -1 ), S 3 (9 dSm ) and S 4 (12 dSm -1 ) were associated in this experiment. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Significant variation was recorded among three cultivars on growth, yield and nutrient contents. Germination percentage, plant heights, tiller number, effective tiller, spike length, total grain, 1000 grain weight, grain yield per pot, straw weight, root weight and chemical compositions (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium) were found to be decreased gradually with increasing salinity level, and also significant variations were observed among cultivars. Number of ineffective tiller, unfilled grain and chemical compositions (Sodium and Calcium) were noticed to be increased gradually with the gradual increase in salinity levels as compared to the control. All the three cultivars could be survived and produced grain yield up to S 2 (6 dSm -1 -1 ) treatment. But in S

(9 dSm -1 ) treatment, BARI gom-24 and BARI gom-26 produced significantly less grain compared to BARI gom-25. At S ) treatment, all the three cultivars, were produced less grain yield and were not suitable for cost-effective production in Bangladesh aspects. From this execution, it can be stated that BARI gom-25 showed the best performance and more tolerant in respect of all parameters than those of BARI gom-24 and BARI gom-26.