Effect of saline irrigation water on germination, growth, yield and some physiological parameters in cotton Kumari Paramjit, Gill K. S. Department of Agronomy and Agromet, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, (India) Abstract A field experiment was conducted to assess the salt tolerance of 5 cotton varieties (F 846, F 1861, LH 1556, LD 694 and LD 327). Saline irrigation water of 1.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 dS−1 prepared artificially by adding NaCl, NaSO4 and CaCl2.2H2O keeping Na:Cl and Cl:SO4 ratios as 4:1 on milli equivalent basis was applied. Varieties LH 1556 and F 846 showed higher germination at all the salinity levels tested and varieties LD 327, LD 694 and F 1861 had poor germination. Desi (local) varieties had higher fresh and dry weight under normal conditions but seed cotton yield was more in American varieties under saline conditions. Varieties LD 327 and LD 694 had higher number of monopodial and sympodial branches. Leaf temperature, conductance and transpiration in varieties varied significantly and American varieties were less affected than desi varieties. Leaf sap sugar and osmotic potential were less affected but Na and K were higher in desi varieties than American varieties. F 846 gave higher seed cotton yield, maintained physiological factors favourably and proved more tolerant than other varieties. Top Key words Cotton, growth, germination, physiological changes, saline water irrigation, yield. Top |