National Research Centre for Citrus, Seminary Hills, Nagpur 440 006
Twenty citrus rootstocks were screened in a pot study for their salinity tolerance through varying chloride levels (0, 300, 600 and 900 ppm Cl− through NaCl) in irrigation water. The susceptibility/tolerance of the rootstocks to salinity was evaluated on the basis of response to plant height, number of healthy leaves/plant and root volume/plant, days taken for appearance of leaf chloride toxicity symptoms substantiated by water soluble Cl− content of soil. The rootstocks were divided in four major groups on the basis of their salt tolerance viz., (1) highly susceptible: Rangpur lime (California) and Swingle citrumelo, (2) susceptible: Rich 16-6, Flying Dragon, C-35, C-32, C. macrophylla, Rangpur lime (8784, Tirupati and Brazilian) and Chase rough lemon, (3) tolerant: Cleopatra mandarin (Grebstan and Narana), Schaub rough lemon and Rangpur lime (Texas) and (4) highly tolerant: Cleopatra mandarin (Tirupati, Coorg and Morocco). Strainal variability within rootstock groups was observed for salinity tolerance.
