ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Seed Germination and Early Seedling
Growth of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.
Moench) Genotypes Under Salinity Stress
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1
Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh
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School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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Department of Environmental Sciences, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Sheringal, Dir Upper,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 18000, Pakistan
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Agronomy Division, Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishwardi, Pabna 6600, Bangladesh
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Department of Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Training Institute, Gaibandha-5700, Bangladesh
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Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University,
Dinajpur, Bangladesh
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Faculty of Agriculture, Jazeera University, Mogadishu, Somalia
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Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University,
P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Department of Agronomy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
10
Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, Siirt University, Siirt, Turkey
Submission date: 2023-09-16
Final revision date: 2023-11-06
Acceptance date: 2023-12-17
Online publication date: 2024-03-26
Publication date: 2024-04-09
Corresponding author
Ayman El Sabagh
Department of Agronomy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
Mohammad Sohidul Islam
Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(3):3019-3032
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ABSTRACT
Salt stress causes deleterious impacts on the germination, growth, and productivity of various
crop plants. Screening new cultivars regarding salt stress tolerance could enhance the growth
and productivity of sorghum. In this regard, an experiment was conducted at the laboratory
of the Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohamad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU),
Bangladesh, in October 2018 to find out salt tolerance based on seed germination and seedling growth
traits. The experiment consisted of seven sorghum varieties, viz. Adan Gab, Karmici, Debuday, ESP/S01,
Green Jambuplus, Jambo, and Elmi Jama, and three levels of salt stress, viz. 0, 100, and 200 mM NaClinduced
salt stress, laid out completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The seeds
of the seven sorghum varieties were placed in plastic trays (20 cm x 10 cm) on a sand bed irrigated
with tap water (control) and NaCl (100 and 200 mM salinity levels) solutions. Data were collected on germination character and seedling growth at parameters. The collected data were analyzed
statistically and means were adjudged by DMRT at 1 and 5% level of probability. The results
of the experiment revealed that salinity stress significantly reduced the germination percentage
(GP) and germination rate (GR) of sorghum in all sorghum varieties, and the variety Debuday showed
the highest values of GP and GR, while Karmici showed the lowest values under 100 and 200 NaCl
stress. Moreover, the root and shoot lengths, fresh weights, and dry weights gradually decreased
with salinity levels, and the minimum reduction was recorded in Debuday, whereas the maximum
reduction was in the Karmici variety. Higher Na and lower K accumulation of the Debuday genotype
can be treated as salt tolerant. Contrary, the salt tolerance index (STI) based on the root and shoot
dry weight in the Debuday variety exhibited the highest values, and the Karmici variety exhibited the
minimum values under salt stresses. The inhibition of GP and GR, and lengths and biomass weight of
root and shoot, were at the minimum level, while, on the contrary, the values declined superficially
in the Karmici variety. Therefore, it can be concluded that the variety Debuday is indorsed as
a salt-tolerant sorghum variety, and Karmici is a more susceptible one, based on the seed germination
and seedling growth properties.