| Performance of certain mutants of common wheat for
yield and nutritional quality under salinity D. KUMAR, R.P.S. CHAUHAN & R.V. SINGH R.B.S. College, Bichpuri-283105, Agra INDIA The magnitude of the severity of salinity problems and the consequent losses to the field crops in the areas where the use of underground saline water for irrigation is a common practice has long been established (BERNSTEIN and HAYWARD, 1958; JADAV et al. 1976; GIRIRAJ et al. 1977; KUMAR 1978). The use of salt tolerant genotypes in such condition is known to show edge ever other procedures management practices, reclamation of soils etc. This implies the immediate need for the salt telerance evaluation of agronomically superior genotypes. Present study is aimed to suplement the informations regarding the performance of certain improved mutants (from common wheat varieties HD 1553 and HD 2009) at the application of synthetic saline waters for irrigation. Material and Methods A field study on seven stable mutants (M4) alongwith parental wheat varieties was carried out in micro-plots (2.50 x 1.00 m) at this college experimental sites during 1977-78. A split-plot design with three repeats was used. Salinity levels (control; 6,12 x 16 mmhos/cm) were assigned to main plots, whereas the genotypes to 2.50 m long rows of each main plot. Twenty plants at a distance of 5 cm apart were maintained in each row. Saline waters were synthesized keeping in view the cations (Na: Mg : Ca) and anions (Cl: SO4: HCO3) in ratio 60:25:15; 2:1:1, respectively. Data were recorded for grain yield/plant. Analysis of grains for protein, P, K, Ca, Mg and Na was done following the usual laboratory procedures. Results and Discussion The saline water of 6 mmhos/cm onwards gave significant adverse effects of salinity on grain yield; and a reduction by 32.89% was noticed at the abrupt salinity (16 mmhos/cm) over control (Table 1). Earlier reports (TORES and BINGHAM 1973; JADAV et al. 1976; KUMAR 1978) also indicate deterimental effects of salinity on grain yield of wheat. Osmotic inhibition of water uptake and the greater influx of salts into the plants are known to show such adverse effects. Mean values on mineral nutrients showed varied impacts of salinity. For instance, protein and Na contents increased, whereas that of P, K and Ca contents decreased with the salinity. No definite response was, however, noticed for Mg. Results reported by UPRETY (1970) on protein ; NOURI et al. (1970) and SINGH et al.(1974) on K; and MEHROTRA and DAS (1973) on Ca are similar to our results. Suppression effects of Na on absorption has been resported reponsible for decreased contents of K and Ca by these workers. None of the mutants induced from HD 1553 yielded significantly higher to it (Table 2). Grain yield, however ranged from 5.72 gm (Bhp 11) to 8.07 gm (Bhp 29) as against 6.80 gm for the control. The mutant Bhp 29 though yielded higher to control and was equally good to it in respect to yield reduction at abrupt salinity over control. It however showed higher yield reduction to control salinity and the magnitude of regression slope was also higher to HD 1553, hence the mutant can't be regarded salt tolerant. On the contrary, the mutant Bhp 12 with rather poor yield return exhibited lower yield reduction at the abrupt salinity and the regression slope was also of lower magnitude, hence this mutant could be regarded better tolerant to HD 1553. Reports of SAINI et al. (1975) and GILL and DATT (1976) are similar that salt tolerant genotypes show low degree of regression slope for grain yield/germination of seeds and salinity. The mutant Bhp 18 (from HD 2009) yielded significantly higher to control, was not considered salt tolerant owing to higher yield breakdown at abrupt salinity and regression slope also indicated higher rate of yield decline. The mutant Byp 19 on the other hand, with lower degree of regression slope was considered better salt tolerant to HD 2009. |
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