Effect of salinity stress in the germination of grain amaranth variety GA 6

Abstract

Grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is an underutilized highly nutritious cross pollinated pseudocereal belongs to the family Amaranthaceae. In the family Amaranthaceae, much diversity present that provide its survival against wide range of soil. To emphasise potential of the grain amaranth against the salinity stress, ten treatment of salinity stress (2 to 20 dS/m) along with control were imposed in the grain amaranth variety GA 6. Seed germination in the control sample was 96.72%. However, the treatments 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 dS/m showed 96.33%, 91.54%, 92.24%, 85.42%, 57.57%, 26.74%, 5.55%, 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0% germination, respectively. Seed germination was significantly lower (~72%) in the 12 dS/m treatment than in the control. However, compared to the control, only a 4.6% reduction in germination was seen up to 6 dS/m stress treatment. In the treatment 16 and above, seeds were not germinated. This is indicating that, 12 dS/m treatment is appropriate for screening of genotypes against salinity stress.