SEEDLING GROWTH OF WHEAT AND RICE CULTIVARS IN RELATION TO SALINITY

An experiment was carried out in petridishes to study the salinity effect on the seedling response and water content of shoot in wheat (Inia 66 and Somalika) and rice cultivars (Biplab and Chandina). Salinity treatments were distilled water (control), 1000, 4000 and 8000 ppm of NaCl. The water content of shoot of rice and also to a lesser extent in wheat was decreased at the highest salinity level, but showed positive response at 1000 ppm NaCl. Root: shoot ratio clearly indicated that both root and shoot are equally affected at the lowest salinity level and from 4000 ppm onwards the dry weight reduction was more in shoot than root. There was a significant reduction of shoot and root length in both wheat and rice cultivars at the highest salinity treatment. In general growth of both wheat and rice seedlings were accelerated at 1000 ppm NaCl salinity.