Salt tolerance potential in some members of Brassicaceae physiological studies on water relations and mineral contents

Abstract

Salt tolerance potential of six cultivars of different brassica species and Eruca sativa was assessed in a field experiment conducted at Biosaline Research Station-II of NIAB, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Experiment consisted of four salinity treatments (i.e. 3.3, 11, 20, 27 dS/m). Cultivars Sheiaralle (B. napus), Peela Raya (B. carinata) and Chakwali Raya and RL-18 (B.juncea) produced significantly greater plant height, number of pods on main branch and yield per plot than others under all salinity treatments. These plants have potential to grow under saline condition and produced more than 50% seed yield up to 11 dS/m and approximately 50% up to 20 dS/m salt treatment. Experiment was repeated next year with two salt tolerant (RL-18 and Sheiaralle) and two salt sensitive cultivars (Brown Raya and Raya Anmol) under above mentioned conditions. Result showed that tolerant varieties have less Na⁺ content, water potential, osmotic potential while they have greater K⁺, Ca⁺⁺ Mg⁺⁺ content and turgor potential than sensitive ones. Effect of salinity on P content was not much pronounced in all brassica varieties.