Genotypic Screening of Maize (Zea mays L.) for Salt Tolerance at Early Growth Stage under Different Salinity Levels
Genotypic Screening of Maize (Zea mays L.) for Salt Tolerance at Early Growth Stage under Different Salinity Levels
Shamsher Ali1*, Muhammad Jamal Khan2, Zahir Shah2, Naveedullah3 and Abdul Jalal1
ABSTRACT
Soluble salts and exchangeable sodium in soils are the main constraints in the agriculture ecosystem creating major threats to crop productivity and, hence, affecting socio economic condition of the farming community. Growing of salt tolerant crop genotypes of species on salt affected lands is an effective tool for getting desirable productivity. A two-factor experiment using complete randomized design with three replications in pots having silt loam soil was carried out on April 03, 2016 to examine three maize genotypes (Iqbal, Jalal, and Azam) under different salinity levels i.e. 0.4, 2.7, 5.2 and 7.6 dS m-1 at Amir Muhammad Khan Campus, Mardan, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar. The analyzed data parameters were percent emergence, plant height, number of leaves, shoots and roots weight. The results revealed that all data parameters except number of leaves were affected significantly (p < 0.05) by different levels of salinity. Irrespective of maize varieties, the percent emergence, plant height, number of leaves, shoots and roots weight of Maize were reduced with linear increasing levels of salinity. Among the genotypes, maximum 1st, 2nd percent emergence (50% and 96 % respectively), plant height (94 cm), number of leaves (10), shoot weight (59 g/pot) and root weight (9 g/pot) were recorded by Iqbal genotypes followed by Jalal genotypes irrespective of various salinity levels. The results also showed that Iqbal genotype performed better at each salinity level and is concluded to be grown and extended on salt affected areas of the District Mardan as well as in central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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