Screening of salt-tolerant genotypes of brassica juncea based on photosynthetic attributes

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate salt tolerance in varieties of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). Sterilized seeds were grown under natural environment in pots containing soil amended with 1.4 (control), 2.8, 4.2 and 5.6 dSm-1 NaCl and sampled at 30 days after sowing. Growth was recorded in terms of length, fresh mass, dry mass and leaf area of plants, which was drastically reduced in Chapka Rohini, while there was little effect of NaCl treatment on Varuna. In Chapka Rohini, a rise in the level of proline was observed which followed the decline in protein content. The declines in net photosynthesis and other related parameters have been attributed to this decline. From the results, it could be suggested that Varuna is salt-tolerant while Chapka Rohini is the saltsensitive variety of mustard among the screened genotypes. Photosynthetic capacity is a major factor in conferring the salt-sensitiveness and tolerance in plant varieties. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.