Pedosphere 13(3): 233--238, 2003
ISSN 1002-0160/CN 32-1315/P
©2003 Soil Science Society of China
Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press
Mechanism of salt tolerance in rice
N. HUSSAIN1, A. ALI2, G. SARWAR1, F. MUJEEB1 and M. TAHIR3
1 Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian, Punjab (Pakistan)
2 National Agriculture Research Center, Islamabad (Pakistan)
3 UNDP-AusAID-Govt. of Pakistan, Biosaline Community Project, Pindi Bhattian (Pakistan)
ABSTRACT
      Shaheen Basmati was evolved as a salt tolerant fine rice variety by the Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian, Pakistan. Water culture studies were conducted to investigate the physiological mechanism exercised by this variety in particular and rice plant in general to face the saline environment. Performance of this rice variety and the concentration and uptake of ions were studied under stress of three salinity levels (30, 60 and 90 mmol L-1) created with NaCl. Recorded data indicated that shoot dry matter was not significantly affected by all the three levels of salinity. However, NaCl levels of 60 and 90 mmol L-1 affected the root dry matter significantly. Sodium concentration and uptake was enhanced significantly in root and shoot at the first level of salinity (30 mmol L-1) but thereafter the differences were non-significant, indicating the preferential absorption of this cation. The K concentration decreased significantly in shoots at all the levels. The impact was less pronounced in roots as far as K absorption was concerned. The effect on Ca and Mg concentrations was not significant. The values of K:Na, Ca:Na and (Ca + Mg):Na ratios in shoot and root were comparatively low under stress conditions, indicating that selective ion absorption may be the principal salt tolerance mechanism of variety Shaheen Basmati when grown in a saline medium.
Key Words:  dry matter, rice variety, salinity, salt tolerance mechanism, selective ion absorption
Citation: Hussain, N., Ali, A., Sarwar, G., Mujeeb, F. and Tahir, M. 2003. Mechanism of salt tolerance in rice. Pedosphere. 13(3): 233-238.
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