Crop yield, K+/Na+ ratio and some related metabalites as a suitable selection criteria for the salt tolerance of two cowpea genotypes

Crop yield, K+/Na+ ratio and some related metabalites as a suitable selection criteria for the salt tolerance of two cowpea genotypes

2012

E07021

The effect of NaCl and / or NaCl + KNO3 on crop yield and some related metabolites of two cowpea genotypes (cv. Dokki 331 and cv. Monarsh black I) were investigated by growing plants in pots weighted five kg, in open filed condition, the results showed that the two cowpea genotypes exhibit a distinct variation in their salt tolerance, on the basis of crop yield production that is while the crop yield of genotype Dokki331 remained more or less unchanged up to the level of 40 mM NaCl and a slight\n reduction was exhibited beyond this level which did not exceeded than 25 % at the level of 80 mM NaCl. On the other hand the crop yield of genotype Monarsh black I decreased gradually even at the lowest level of NaCl and at the level of 80 mM NaCl the percent reduction in crop yield was 43.5 % in relation to the control. these major differences in the production of crop yield among the two salt affected cowpea genotypes were mirrored by the great variation in the absolute amounts of Na+ which was much higher in cv. Dokki 331 as compared to cv. Monarsh black I and the higher K+ and Ca+2in cv. Dokki 331 than in cv. Monarsh black I. Consequently K+/Na+ were higher in cv. Dokki 331 than cv. Monarsh black I which might be used as a suitable selection criterion for the differences in the salt tolerance in the two cowpea genotypes. This was linked with the observable accumulation of osmotic cytosolutes (Soluble saccharides, proteins, amino acid and proline) in Dokki331 than in Monarsh black I. The crop yield and the osmotic cytosolutes in the two cowpea genotypes improved markedly as a result of KNO3 treatments. As regards nitrate reducatse, protease and ribonuclease enzymes they were affected negatively by NaCl salinity and positively by the addition of KNO3, especially at the level of 20mM NaCl + 20mM KNO3.

41(1):21-35, ASSIUT UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF BOTANY

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