EFFECT OF SALINITY ON GERMINATION AND EARLY SEEDLING GROWTH IN CAULIFLOWER (Brassica oleraceae L.)

Abstract

Soil salinity is a worldwide problem. It hampers productivity and yield of several agricultural crops such as fruits, vegetables and field crops. Cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae L.) is one of the most common vegetables grown worldwide. The present study was designed to examine the effect of salinity level of cauliflower of Tabbi variety under different saline treatments. Germination of this variety was tested under four saline treatments in the laboratory, Department of Agricultural Chemistry (ACH), HSTU, Dinajpur; Bangladesh. The present study stated that germination and early seedling growth were suppressed with increasing salt concentration of 0 (Control), 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m-1 under laboratory conditions. The seeds of this variety was collected from Bahadur bazar, Dinajpur. Germination of this cauliflower variety was examined at four salinity levels and the results observed that Germination Index (GI), Final Germination Index (FGP) at 9 DAS, Vigor Index (VI) at 4 DAS, Root length, Shoot length, Fresh weight, Dry weight were decreased with increasing the salinity level. Further experiment at growth stage under different salinity levels viz. 0 (control), 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m-1 salinity level. The results of pot experiment observed that Plant heights at 40 DAT and weight of cauliflower were inversely affected with increasing salinity level. The % moisture, % ash, protein content were affected with salinity. The chemical contents (Ca, Mg, Na, S, P, K) were also affected with increasing salinity level. The more effects were found in yield. The yield was decreased with increasing the salinity level. The yield decreased with increasing salinity level due to physiological stress, physical and morphological changes, ion toxicity, low nutrient uptake, antioxidant activity etc. Finaly, at 12 dS m-1 salinity level, the yield was comparatively lower value than other treatments and the yield was higher value at 3dSm-1. So, the Tabbi variety was susceptible to saline condition at higher level of concentration. The experiment suggested that it need to field trail in salt affected coastal regions such as Satkhira, Patuakhali, Bagerhat.