Evaluation of Different Drumstick Genotypes (<i>Moringa</i> sp.) Against Salt Stress

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted during March 2012 to February 2013 to evaluate the salt tolerance of drumstick (Moringa sp.) genotypes in a factorial split plot design. Two factors, water salinity was assigned in the main plot with 4 levels (control, 7, 10 and 13 dS/m) and10 drumstick genotypes of Bangladesh (Acc. no. 1 to Acc. no. 10) in the sub-plot with 3 replications. The data were collected for the vegetative growth, percent alive cuttings and necrosis and chlorosis of leaves on the 12^thmonth of the study. The results indicated that the Acc. no. 4 from Satkhira and the Acc. no.  5 from Khulna were the best in all respects even at 10 dS/m salinity level. The results also revealed that most of the genotypes performed more or less well up to the 7 dS/m salinity but none at the 13 dS/m. No genotype showed sensitivity to the lowest salinity level. In addition, The highest concentration of total Na⁺ and Cl^-  were observed in the shoots and the leaves of the Acc. no. 5 and Acc. no. 9 at 13 dS/m salinity level as well.

The Agriculturists 2015; 13(1) 94-100