Suitable genotypes of gram (Cicer arietinum) and mechanism of their tolerance to salinity

Abstract

Chickpea or gram (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes collected from International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad, and from the All-India Co-ordinated Trials were grown in the field under salt stress, having surface (0-15 cm depth) soil of pH 2 8.8 and electrical conductivity of saturation extract (ECe) 4-6 dS/m, during 1988-89 and 1989-90). The seeds or the surviving plants were collected 'and multiplied. The selected genotypes Were grown at different salt-stressed locations during 1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93. The genotypes 'CSG 8977', 'CSG 8962'and 'CSG 8943' gave the best yield in salinity ofECe 2-6 dS/m. 'CSG 88101' was the best salt-tolerant genotype, giving double the yield of almost all other genotypes at ECe 7-8 dS/m. The variation in genotypes for the salinity tolerance were attributed to their differences in uptake and distribution of sodium and chlOlide ions. The presence of genotype x salinity, salinity X location and location X year interactions was evident.