SEVA NAYAK DHEERAVATHU*, TEJVEER SINGH, A. RADHAKRISHNA, REETU, RAHUL GAJGHATE, S. R. KANTWA AND BHARGAVI H. A.
ICAR- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute,
Jhansi-284 003 (Uttar Pradesh), India
*(e-mail : sevanayak2005@gmail.com)
(Received : 11 March 2021; Accepted : 31 March 2021)
SUMMARY
In the present investigation, four berseem varieties viz., Wardan, BB2, BB3 and JBSC-1 were tested for their relative salt tolerance to increasing levels of salinity in the combinations of salts which nearly exist in the natural salt affected soils in India. Seeds were germinated in petri dishes and were exposed to four salinity [(4,8,12 and 16EC (dS m-1)] levels. The germination percentage, shoots and root length, fresh and dry weight of seedling were recorded. The results revealed that the effect of salt levels on these parameters was significant (p< .05). Higher loss of germination percentage was found in BB2 at different levels of salinity than in JBSC-1. It was inferred that salinity stress significantly decreased germination and growth parameters of seedlings of four berseem varieties; however, varieties JBSC-1 and Wardan were found relatively tolerant to salinity than BB2.
Key words: Salinity, berseem, germination percentage, shoot length and seed viability indices