1Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-140 004, Punjab
2Department of Soil Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-140 004, Punjab
3Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-140 004, Punjab
*Corresponding author's E-mail: gargrk72@pau.edu
Online published on 12 August, 2020.
Eight clones of Casuarina (four of Casuarina junghuhniana and four of inter-specific hybrids of Casuarina equisetifolia × C. junghuhniana) were subjected to saline water irrigation with different concentrations of NaCl viz., 0, 40, 80 and 120 mM. After 12 months of study period, growth, biomass and survival (%) was inversely affected by different treatments. At maximum salinity (120 mM NaCl), clone IFGTB CJ-108 was found to be the most tolerant, as it registered minimum decrease in plant height (51%), root length (40%), shoot dry weight (37%) and root dry weight (42%) as compared to control (0 mM NaCl or water with no salt). On the basis of morphological and physiological characters, clones IFGTB CJ- 108, CH-6, CJ-9 and CH-5 were found to be promising under saline water irrigated conditions and need to be further tested under field conditions for salinity tolerance.
Casuarina junghuhniana, Irrigation, Pot culture, Proline, Saline water and soluble sugar
