Ameliorating Effects of Salt Stress (KCl, NaCl) on Growth and Germination Parameters of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum americanum)
Zubia Rahim1, Gulnaz Parveen1*, Salma Gul2 and Khushnood-ur-Rehman3
ABSTRACT
Plants facing many abiotic stresses in which salinity is considered as most pronounced factor to effect the plant growth. This research was performed to assess the effects of NaCl, KCl, a mixture of NaCl + KCl in various concentrations on the growth and germination of Pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum), locally named as Bajra. Five seeds sown in petri dishes to observe the radical, plumule length and germination percentage after treatments to 100, 150, 200 and 250mM concentration of above mentioned salts. Control petri dishes/ pots were irrigated with distilled water. The experiment was extended to study growth (number of leaves, leaf length, stem breadth, stem length, number of tillers) and yield (spike length, total seeds on single spike, whole plant weight, weight of 50 seeds per spike) parameters in the field, which was performed in completely randomized design (CRD). 39 pots lined with polythene bags were used to avoid percolation of water. Data was analyzed by variance (ANOVA). Salinity effects on the test species were analyzed by (LSD) Least Significant Differences method. 100mM concentrations of the said two salt and a mixture of two salts concentrations was less stress causing on all parameters studied. The degree of toxicity of the salts decreases as NaCl<KCl<NaCl+KCl.
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December 2020
Vol. 33, Iss. 4, Pages 692-956
