PLANT BIOMETRY AND YIELD OF WHEAT UNDER SALT STRESS CONDITIONS AS INFLUENCED BY HALO-PRIMING

Abstract

The experiment was conducted on plastic pot in net house condition at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University during rabi season 2020-2021 (November 2020 to February 2021) to investigate the effect of halo priming on plant biometry and yield of wheat(BARI Gom 33) under salt stress conditions. The experiment comprised of two factors, factor A: Seed priming and factor B: different levels of salinity. Factor A consisted of 4 types of seed priming viz; i.No Priming (P 0 ), ii. Hydro Priming (P ), iii. Priming with 5 mM NaCl (P 2 ) and iv. Priming with 5 mM Na-Acetate (P ). Factor B consisted three levels of salinityviz; i.0 ds m ‒1 (S 0 ), ii. 4 ds m ‒1 (S 1 ), iii. 8 ds m ). This experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications. Data were collected on different aspects of growth, yield attributes and yield of wheat. The results revealed that seed priming with 5 mM Na-acetate (P )exhibited its superiority compare with other priming treatmentsin terms of yield and yield attributes. Seed priming with Na-acetate showed the highest 1000-grain weight (47.06 g), seed yield (29.50 g pot⁻¹), straw yield (33.20 g pot⁻¹), biological yield (62.70 g pot⁻¹) and the harvest index (47.06 %) than other seed priming. Exposure of salinity showed significant differences on growth and yield of wheat. Exposure of 4 and 8 ds m ‒1 salinity decreased germination percentage (19 and 35%, respectively), effective tillers (8 and 67%, respectively), 1000-grain weight (14 and 45%, respectively), grain yield (17 and 67%, respectively), straw yield (10 and 63%, respectively), and biological yield (13 and 65%, respectively). Combination of seed priming and salinity also significantly influence growth and yield of wheat. Under 4 and 8 ds m ‒1 salinity, seed priming with 5 mM Naacetate uplifted grain yield by 10 and 81%, respectively. Hydro-priming and seed priming

with

5 mM NaCl also uplifted yield and yield attributes of wheat under all level of salinity. Hydro-priming and Halo-priming played positive role to upgrade germination percentage, growth and yield of wheat. However, among the seed priming treatments, seed priming with Na-acetate showed best results under salt stress conditions in terms of seed germination, growth and yield of wheat.