Archives

An experiment was conducted in the Plant Physiology Laboratory and Glasshouse of the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during 2016-17. The trial was laid out in two factorial designs with three replications using ten Sorghum germplasm lines (eight tolerant and two susceptible), previously identified in an earlier study. The plants were grown under control and saline (12 dS m⁻¹) conditions to investigate the morpho-physiological and bio-chemical mechanisms underlying salt tolerance in Sorghum at the reproductive stage. The morpho-physiological and biochemical traits of the Sorghum germplasm varied significantly under salinity stress in pot culture. Parameters such as plant height at different stages, SPAD value, root length, root, shoot, and total dry weight, days to panicle initiation, and proline content at both vegetative and reproductive stages were recorded. Salinity stress resulted in a marked increase in root and stem Na⁺ content. The total Na⁺/K⁺ and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ ratios were significantly higher in the susceptible germplasm compared to the tolerant ones. Among the tested lines, Hybrid Sorgo, Sorghum BD-701, Sorghum BD-730, Sorghum BD-731, Sorghum BD-733, and Sorghum BD-737 showed superior performance under saline conditions. Notably, Sorghum BD-737 produced the highest grain yield, followed by Hybrid Sorgo. Based on these results, Sorghum BD-737, Hybrid Sorgo, Sorghum BD-701, and Sorghum BD-730 are recommended for further field trials in different coastal regions of Bangladesh.