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Identification of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] lines tolerant to soil salinity

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Abstract

Crop tolerance to salinity is of high importance due to the extent and the constant increase in salt-affected areas in arid and semi-arid regions. Pearl millet (Pennistum glaucum), generally considered as fairly tolerant to salinity, could be an alternative crop option for salt affected areas. To explore the genotypic variability of vegetative-stage salinity tolerance, 100 pearl millet lines from ICRISAT breeding programs were first screened in a pot culture containing Alfisol with 250 mM NaCl solution as basal application. Subsequently, 31 lines including many parents of commercial hybrids, selected from the first trial were re-tested for confirmation of the initial salinity responses. Substantial variation for salinity tolerance was found on the basis of shoot biomass ratio (shoot biomass under salinity/ non-saline control) and 22 lines with a wide range of tolerance varying from highly tolerant to sensitive entries were identified. The performance of the genotypes was largely consistent across experiments. In a separate seed germination and seedling growth study, the seed germination was found to be adversely affected (more than 70% decrease) in more than half of the genotypes with 250 mM concentration of NaCl. The root growth ratio (root growth under salinity/control) as well as shoot growth ratio was measured at 6 DAS and this did not reflect the whole plant performance at 39 DAS. In general, the whole plant salinity tolerance was associated with reduced shoot N content, increased K+ and Na+ contents. The K+/Na+ and Ca++/Na+ ratios were also positively related to the tolerance but not as closely as the Na+ content. Therefore, it is concluded that a large scope exists for improving salt tolerance in pearl millet and that shoot Na+ concentration could be considered as a potential non-destructive selection criterion for vegetative-stage screening. The usefulness of this criterion for salinity response with respect to grain and stover yield remains to be investigated.

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Acknowledgments

This research was initially supported by core funds of ICRISAT and later by OPEC Fund for International Development assigned to biotechnology-assisted improvement in salinity tolerance through the GT-Biotechnology of ICRISAT. The authors gratefully acknowledge the guidance on statistical analysis provided by Dr S Chandra, Principal Scientist (Biometrics), ICRISAT.

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Author notes

  1. Rachid Serraj

    Present address: CSWS—International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, 502 324, Andhra Pradesh, India

    L. Krishnamurthy, Rachid Serraj, Kedar Nath Rai & C. Tom Hash

  2. International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), P.O. Box 14660, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Abdullah J. Dakheel

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  1. L. Krishnamurthy
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  2. Rachid Serraj
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  3. Kedar Nath Rai
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  4. C. Tom Hash
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  5. Abdullah J. Dakheel
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Correspondence to L. Krishnamurthy.

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Krishnamurthy, L., Serraj, R., Rai, K.N. et al. Identification of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] lines tolerant to soil salinity. Euphytica 158, 179–188 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-007-9441-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-007-9441-3

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