Assessment of morphological and yield traits in sunflower genotypes under varying salinity levels

Abstract

Soil salinization is a major factor contributing to land degradation, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where poor soil and water management practices prevail. Sunflower, a moderately salt-tolerant crop, remains susceptible to yield reductions under prolonged salinity stress, especially during critical growth stages. To investigate the impact of salinity on sunflower and identify traits associated with salt tolerance, a pot experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Bheemarayanagudi. The study followed a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD) with three replications, involving five sunflower genotypes—CMS-38B, RSFH-1887, RSFH-700, RCR-41 and RCB-16—subjected to four levels of salinity stress: Control (0.5 dS m-1), 4 dS m-1, 8 dS m-1 and 12 dS m-1. The experiment evaluated morphological parameters such as plant height, stem diameter, leaves, stem, head and total dry weight per plant and yield parameters such as head diameter, 100-seed weight, harvest index and seed yield per plant under control and stress conditions. Results from the study aimed to identify key traits contributing to salinity tolerance and assist in the selection of resilient genotypes for sustainable sunflower production in salt-affected soils.