Abstract:
Salinity indeed is a great barrier for crop production. An experiment was carried growth, yield and nutrient performance of a salinity tolerant sunflower cultivar on soils with different salinity levels. Salinity's impact on seed germination and vigour exponent were studied. Pot experiment was done with sunflower on different salinity levels (0.55; 2.80; 3.55; 5.05; 6.95; 8.35; and 11.25 dSm-1) were created by using NaCl following CRD with 3 replications. Diverse agronomic parameters and chemical parameters were analyzed. The highest plant height (146.0±3.2 cm) was observed at 0.55 dSm-1 and the lowest (80.3±4.8 cm) was observed in 11.25 dSm-1. The greatest amount of seeds pot-1(300.0 ± 4.619) was observed in 3.55 dSm-1 and least number of seeds pot-1 (170.0 ± 2.887) was recorded in 11.25 dSm-1. The most seed yield (19.80 ± 0.1299 t ha-1) was recorded in 3.55 dSm-1 and the least (6.3 ± 0.1299 t ha-1) in 11.25 dSm-1 soil salinity level. The superior K content in shoot (2.540 ± 0.02309%) was observed in 0.55 dSm-1 and the inferior K contents (1.190± 0.005774%) was recorded in 11.25 dSm-1. The maximum Na contents (2.960 ± 0.03464 %) was observed in 11.25 dSm-1 and the minimum Na contents (0.5800 ± 0.01155%) was observed in 0.55 dSm-1 soil salinity level. The effects of salinity on all agronomic parameters were significant. All the chemical parameters show statistically significant on different salinity levels. The seed yield of sunflower growing on different salinity levels can be produced considerable seed yield up to 8.35 dSm-1.
