1Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-250110 (U.P.), India
2Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-250110 (U.P.), India
3Department of Soil Science, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-250110 (U.P.), India
*E-mail: mukeshbt06@gmail.com
Online published on 28 December, 2017.
Plant growth and development are adversely affected by salinity-a major abiotic stress that limits agricultural production. Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is sensitive to salinity that affects its yield and there is need to identify the tolerant genotypes. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of salinity on chickpea genotypes with specific physiological attributes contributing to their adaptability to salinity stress. Fifteen chickpea genotypes both desi (JG16, JG14, K850, KWR108, JG11, Pusa372, ICCV07112, ICCV95334, ICCV05107, JAKI 9218, BG362, ICCV88105 and CSG8962) and kabuli (KAK2 and L550) were evaluated for salinity tolerance. The photosynthesis rate and membrane stability index are decreased under both the salinity levels. On the basis of physiological parameters genotypes CSG 8962 and JG 16 from the desi genotypes and L550 from kabuli were identified as the tolerant while K850 as the sensitive ones and ICCV95334 and JG14 as the moderately tolerant genotypes. These genotypes could be used as a source of tolerance in breeding programme to develop salt tolerant genotypes.
Chickpea, Salinity, Photosynthesis, NaCl, and Membrane stability index
