Screening of Black Gram (Vigna Mungo L. Hepper) Varieties for Tolerance to Salinity

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stress that affects the yield in most of the crops under cultivation. The area under black gram (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) is decreasing in recent years due to soil salinity problem. Thirteen black gram genotypes viz., VBN1, VBN2, VBN3, VBN(Bg) 4, VBN(Bg) 5, VBN(Bg) 6, VBN 7 and VBN 8, VBG 12-034, VBG 12-062, VBG 12-110, VBG 12-111, VBG 13-003 and VBG 14-016 were screened under three EC level (4.0 EC, 11.0 EC and 16.0 EC) and compared with 0.0 EC (control). The mean germination percentage of all the thirteen genotypes studied illustrated reduced level of germination percentage with increasing salinity level. At the highest salinity level (16.0 EC) the germination percentage was significantly affected compared to 4.0 EC and 11.0 EC. The grand mean of plumule length was more at 4.0 EC and was reduced to half (16.0 EC) as compared to control. The root grew longer at 11.0 EC (4.91 cm) as compared to 4.0 EC (4.83 cm) and 0.0 EC (3.02 cm), where ever showed drastic reduction at 16.0 EC (1.92 cm). The grand mean value of dry matter weight increased concomitantly with salinity. The radical length had positive and significant correlation with dry matter weight at 11.0 EC (0.657) where as positive and non-significant correlation with 4.0 and 16.0 EC suggested that radicle length is the most useful parameter to select salinity tolerant black gram genotypes. Based on grand mean performance of the thirteen genotypes evaluated, the genotype VBG-14-016 followed by Vamban 4, Vamban 8 and VBG-12-062 outperformed than all other genotypes, while VBG-13-003 was highly susceptible followed by VBG-12-034.