Flowering and male reproductive functions of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes as affected by salinity

Abstract

The influence of salinity, given at germination (stage I) or 75 d after sowing (stage II), on flower production and characteristic features of male reproductive structures was studied in three promising genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. cv. ICCV 88102, H 82-2 and C-235). In ICCV 88102 and H 82-2 salinity 20 meq 1^-1 increased the number of flowers when applied at both stages whereas in C-235 only when applied at the later stage. The salinity also delayed flowering; the higher salinity the greater was delay in flowering. In H 82-2 and C-235 salinity treatment given at stage II (when few flower buds appeared) hastened the flowering. The salinity curtailed pollen production; the reduction being minimum in C-235 and maximum in H 82-2. Germination was not significantly affected in C-235 pollen collected from plants grown under salinity conditions upto 60 meq 1^-1 applied at stage I but the tube elongation was inhibited. The inhibition of tube elongation was greatest in C-235. Salinity treatment administered at stage II did not affect significantly pollen germination excepting C-235 in which a consistent decline with increasing salinity was evident. Salinity stimulated tube growth in ICCV 88102. Na₂SO₄ in the germination medium was more detrimental for both pollen germination and tube growth than NaCl.