Variability in Salt Tolerance of Four Triticale Lines at Germination and Emergence¹

Abstract

Improving crop tolerance of salinity is one way to help maximize production on irrigated lands in arid and semiarid areas where the salinity of soils and irrigation water is a problem. Four lines of triticale (✕ Triticosecale Wittmack ) were compared for salt tolerance at germination and emergence. At 200 m M NaCl from planting to the 7th day, line 6TB371 emerged at a rate of 884%, ‘Siskiyou’ at 46.2%, 6TB278 at 18.0%, and 6TA208 at 13.7%. The emergence of Siskiyou was improved to 60.0% by adding 5.0 mM CaSO 4 to the treatment solution. The variation in emergence observed may be useful in programs to improve salt tolerance in this crop, and for comparative studies on mechanisms of salt tolerance.