Comparative analysis of rice genotypes for tolerance to salt stress at the seedling stage

2020

English

Different and complementary sources of salt tolerance are necessary for developing tolerant varieties. A newly identified rice variety tolerant to salt stress was compared with known checks (FL478- tolerant and IR29-susceptible) and BG90-2 (mega West African variety) under hydroponic conditions at 12dSm-1 . The four varieties were assessed using six growth traits; shoot height, leaf number, shoot dry weight, root number, root length and root dry weight and salinity tolerance score. Significant variation in salt tolerance traits were observed at p<0.05. Salt injury score for the varieties were as follows: FL478 (7.23) Jarmissa (7.42) BG90-2 (7.67) and IR29 (9.0). The first axis of the PCA associated more with shoot dry weight and explained 98.99 % variation. Three groups were formed at 55% dissimilarity as follows: IR29 in group 1, FL478 in group 2 and Bg90-2 and Jarmissa in group 3. Shoot dry weight coupled with increased root length provides better ability to withstand salt stress. Hence, researchers could use shoot dry weight as proxy to indirectly estimate salt tolerance in rice germplasm for breeding and other research purposes. Jarmissa shares similar properties and reactivity to salt stress with the Mega West African rice variety BG90-2, thus it could be used directly in breeding programme or adapted to less demanding environments.

Bissah, M. N.; Bimpong, I. K.; Amoah, N. A. K.