Evaluation of wheat genotypes and some soil properties under saline water irrigation

Sixteen genotypes of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) from different countries were evaluated for salt stress tolerance in the greenhouse under saline water irrigation. Five treatments, (T1) =tap water (control), (T2)= 25 mM NaCl, (T3)=50 mM NaCl, (T4)= 75 mM NaCl and (T5) =100 mM NaCl were applied for each genotype grown in two seasons. Soil properties were also evaluated under these levels of water salinity. The results indicated that Number of tillers/plant, number of leaves/plant, leaves area/plant at vegetative stage, biomass, days to heading, number of kernels/spike, 1000-kerenl weight, grain yield, K+ concentration and K+/Na+ ratio were decreased under salinity treatments as compared with control, and hence Na+ concentration was increased. Salinity levels, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl reduced grain yield by 14.57%, 29.59%, 42.80% and 55.78%, respectively, as compared with the control treatment. After plant harvesting, soil pH decreased significantly in all soil treatments irrigated with saline water from 7.95 to 7.8. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) increased in all treatments from 3.28 to 6.22 dS/m. The irrigation with saline water caused increase in soluble cations and anions in all soil treatments. Available Mn, Zn and Cu increased in all treatments compared with control. This study suggests that wheat genotypes Shakha 93, HAAMA-14 and Shakha 8 can be selected to grow under salinity stress conditions.