Morpho-physiological assessment of some rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes for salinity stress tolerance

Abstract

Salinity is an ever increasing problem that reduces rice yield in rice producing areas. The rice plant is salt sensitive and its productivity is severely affected by the accumulation of soluble salts in soils. The arid and semi-arid zone of Nigeria where irrigation practices are widely adapted faces the most serious ecological and environmental problems arising from high saline soil conditions. Identification of salt tolerant rice genotype is one of the solutions to the problem of salinity. This study was conducted under a controlled environment at the Department of Plant Biology, Bayero University Kano, to evaluate the responses of six rice genotypes at four levels of NaCl concentrations (0 dS/m, 4 dS/m, 8 dS/m and 10 dS/m). Data were collected on (plant height, leaf chlorophyll content, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh and dry weight) and were subjected to analysis of variance for mean comparison. The results of analysis of variance revealed that the parameters measured were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affected for all varieties at different concentrations except at (0 dS/m) which is the control. The most effect was observed particularly in the range of 8 to 10 dS/m. Based on the IRRI modified standard evaluation system for rice salinity tolerance FARO 57, FARO 62, SUFI and FARAR ZAIRA were classified as susceptible varieties while FARO 44 and FARO 67 were classified as moderately tolerant varieties.