Field hydroponics assessment of salt tolerance in Cenchrus ciliaris (L.): growth, yield, and maternal effect

摘要: Soil salinity and sodicity have long been major constraints to increasing crop production in many parts of the world. The introduction salt-tolerant perennial species is one most promising alternatives overcome problems. Cenchrus ciliaris (L.) a highly drought-tolerant but there are few available reports on its salt tolerance. purpose this work was assess trait two widely used cultivars (Biloela Texas) determine whether cultivation under affected seed germination plant fitness next generation. Trials were performed field hydroponics conditions. Plants grown for 5 months 1000-L PVC boxes containing washed river sand, automatically irrigated with commercial nutrient solution which NaCl gradually added provide average season electrical conductivity (EC) levels 9, 15, 19 dS/m. Controls had EC 4 dS/m. Vegetative growth both similarly by salinity, grain yield diminished because decreased number spikelets per plant. Significant reductions registered at ~10 dS/m, continued decrease very small slope as increased, indicating that has moderate Salinity percentage; however, higher seeds obtained from plants saline conditions season. Growth similar originated non-salinised salinised plants. These results suggest persistence C. soils would not be limited diminishing performance but, rather, germination.