Effect of Salt Stress on Various Agronomical Characters of Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice is primarily consumed in Asia, and Pakistan is also one of the world's largest rice producers. Climatic fluctuations lead to abiotic stresses that adversely affect crop productivity and yield. Soil salinity is an abiotic factor affecting plant growth and production. Hence, to improve rice productivity, salt-tolerant genotypes are required. Reproductive stage in rice is sensitive in rice crop. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of various salt treatments in different rice genotypes. A hydroponic/controlled experiment was conducted at Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam. Twenty rice genotypes were selected as potential genotypes after examining by growth parameters at the laboratory of Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tandojam. The analysis of variance showed significant results at p<0.01 probability level for genotypes, treatments and interactions for all the morpho-physiological characters. It was observed that under 6 dS m-1 of NaCl, Kharaganjia (101.00 cm), FL-478 (101.33 cm), HH2 SAL-10-DT1-DT2 (98.67 cm), RIL-2-6 (95.67 cm), RIL-2-1 (100 cm), and CST-4 (105.33 cm) depicted medium plant height. However, The MC-17 genotype showed the greatest loss in plant height under the 8 dS m-1 salt stress. Kharaganjia showed more productive tillers under both salt stresses 6 dS m-1 and 8 dS m-1. FL-478 and HH2 SAL-10-DT1-DT2 possesed greater panicle length under 6 dS m-1 NaCl. Kharaganjia and CST-28 observed to have more grain weight and yield under 6 dS m-1 NaCl salt stress. However, under 8 dS m-1 of NaCl salt stress, MC-17 and IR-72 exhibited maximum thousand grain weight and grain yield. Greater decline was observed in FL-478, CST-4, HHZ SAL-10 DT1 DT1, CST-28, RIL-2-6 and RIL-2-293 affected under 6 and 8 dS m-1 of NaCl stresses. Maximum sodium was observed in FL-478, IR-72, CST-4, CST-28 and RIL-2-2, hence they are salt sensitive genotypes.