Identification of Promising Wheat Genotypes Based on Different Stress Indices for Salinity Tolerance

Abstract

The study investigated salt tolerance of wheat genotypes based on quantitative traits employing various stress indices. The experimental material included twenty two advance wheat genotypes, evaluated in two different environments under natural soil salinity patch having sandy loam texture with pH 8.1 and ECe 4.25 dsm-1 during 2024-25 crop season at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar (Haryana). Genotypes WH 1355 and P 14335 maintained higher yields under timely and late sown salinity, respectively indicating better osmotic adjustment or ion exclusion capacity. The results revealed the reduction in mean grain yield by 31.38 per cent under LSS condition as compared with TSS. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for harvest index for both sowing conditions. Correlation among traits indicated significant positive association of grain yield with harvest index in both the environments, exhibiting the significance of this trait for deciding the selection criterion for yield enhancement under salinity. Based on overall rank of stress indices based on grain yield and SSI of different traits, KRL 210, P 14383, P 14154 and WH 1356 were identified salt tolerant genotypes accompanying heat stress. Correlation analysis exploring stress indices discerned significant negative association of grain yield (Ys) with SSI and RSI and significant positive correlation with STI, YSI, MP and MRP. These indices, therefore, could be considered as the best selection criteria for salinity breeding. PCA identified three components with eigenvalue exceeding one that cumulatively explained about 98.28 per cent of the total variation. PC 2 elucidated 35.63 per cent of the total variance and could be considered as salt tolerant component based on its strong correlation with Ys, Yp, STI and MP. The genotypes of cluster I portrayed better performance under salinity; hence the genotypes from this group could be utilized for salinity tolerance as elite breeding material.