Performance of commercial okra genotypes at salinity levels

Okra is a important vegetable crop of Brazil. In arid and semiarid regions of the country, to guarantee production, farmers use irrigation, which often comes from low-quality water sources and high salinity levels, which can lead to a reduction in crop yields if the genotypes used are not tolerant to salinity stress. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of commercial okra genotypes subjected to different salinity levels. To this end, an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Federal Institute of Alagoas—Piranhas Campus using a randomized block design in a factorial scheme (12 × 5), with 60 treatments and three replications, totaling 180 experimental plots. Twelve okra genotypes were evaluated: Apuim, Santa Cruz 47, Valença, IAC Midori, Clemson Americano 80, Speedy, Quiabel, Carcará, Estrela, Cariri, Guará and Canindé. The genotypes were subjected to four levels of salinity, corresponding to 0.0 dS m−1 (control), 2.5 dS m−1, 5.0 dS m−1, 7.5 dS m−1 and 10.0 dS m−1. All the genotypes showed a reduction in the values of the characteristics studied as the salt level increased, with the exception of the root length variable. It was possible to conclude that the Carcará, Cariri and IAC Midori genotypes obtained the best performances for most of the variables studied, regardless of the salinity levels, and that the genotypes showed no tolerance from the 2.5 dS m−1 level onward.