Genotypic variation in salinity response of chickpea and pigeonpea.

Abstract

Variation among 81 genotypes of chickpea In salinity response measured in pot culture was small. Electrical conductivity (1:2 soil-water extract) at 50% reduction of shoot weight was within a range of 1.2 dS/m for any experimental run. Among a set of wild species related to chickpea, some lines showed even greater sensitivity to salinity than cultivated chickpea but none showed greater tolerance. Thus, in the chickpea material so far tested, there are no substantial sources of salinity tolerance that would warrant Incorporation in a breeding programme. For a range of cultivated pigeonpea genotypes, there was limited variability in salinity response when compared in pot culture but variability was considerable when compared In a solution culture system. Further, some wild relatives of pigeonpea had markedly better tolerance than the best cultivated pigeonpea control. Thus there is some scope for improving the salinity tolerance of pigeonpea