Identification of potential morpho-biochemical determinants conferring salt tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through seedling- and -reproductive stage phenotyping

Shahnaj  Akter; Shafiul  Islam; Noushin  Chowdhury; Sheikh Mahfuja  Khatun; Md. Motiar  Rohman; Lutful  Hassan; Mohammad Anwar Hossain

doi:10.14719/pst.2988

Authors

Shahnaj Akter (1)Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh (2)Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute, Regional Station, Jashore 7400, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6073-1700
Shafiul Islam (1) Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh & (2) Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute, Nashipur, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7358-2684
Noushin Chowdhury (1) Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh & (2) Bangladesh Sugar Crop Research Institute, Regional Station, Thakurgaon 5102, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9575-7951
Sheikh Mahfuja Khatun Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7097-3008
Md. Motiar Rohman Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Plant Breeding Division, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1353-416X
Lutful Hassan Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9099-0014
Mohammad Anwar Hossain Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9415-012X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.2988

Keywords:

Salinity screening, phenotyping, leaf cutting, seedling stage salt tolerance, reproductive stage salt tolerance, oxidative stress, stress indices

Abstract

To optimize a reproductive-stage-specific phenotyping protocol and isolate potential determinants conferring salinity tolerance in wheat, two consecutive experiments were conducted using salt-tolerant varieties (Binagom-1 and BARI Gom 25) and a sensitive variety (BARI Gom 20). In the first experiment, seedlings were grown hydroponically, and 14-day-old seedlings were subjected to two different levels of salt stress (EC=12 dS/m and 16 dS/m) for 7 days. Based on the results of tolerant and susceptible varieties, parameters such as root and shoot weight, shoot Na+/K+ ratio, chlorophyll content, proline content, methylglyoxal content, H2O2 content and lipid peroxidation content and the activities of enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, and glyoxalase I were considered as potential determinants of salt tolerance. The second experiment employed four leaf cutting treatments under both control and salinity stress conditions. Seedlings were grown in perforated pots filled with field soil, and at the heading stage, plants were subjected to salt stress (12 dS/m) after trimming as indicated. The combined analysis of control and salt stress data obtained from setup B reflected a significant decrease in yield and yield-attributing traits; however, a lesser decrease was observed in tolerant varieties. Correlation studies revealed that grain yield per spike exhibited a significant positive correlation with the number of seeds per spike, spike weight, plant height, and days to first flowering under both stress and control conditions. Additionally, different stress tolerance indices also supported the results of reproductive stage phenotyping. However, further studies will be required to tag the genes/QTLs controlling salinity tolerance in wheat at various growth phases.

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