Influence of salt stress on growth, relative water content, chlorophyll and photosynthetic rate of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted during 2014-15 in the Department of Agriculture Botany, Janta Mahavidiyalaya Ajitmal, Auraiya (C.S.J.M. University, Kanpur). Eight genotypes of wheat viz. KRL1-4, K8434, K88, K9644, K9465, K9006, HD2733 and HD2329 were tested to study their response to different levels of salt i.e. 3, 6, 9 and 12 dsm1 in addition to control. Lower levels of salinity did not affect the growth and physiology of wheat. Higher salinity caused a deleterious effect on growth parameters such as plant height, number of tillers per plant and dry weight. Increased salt concentration caused a great reduction in relative water content, chlorophyll content and rate of photosynthesis. Genotypes K9006, K8434, KRL1-4, K88 and HD2733 showed better performance in all the regard indicating their hardness towards salt. However, genotype K9644 showed poor performance under salt stress.