GENETIC-VARIATION FOR SALINITY TOLERANCE IN SPRING WHEAT

In order to determine the magnitude of genetic variation for salinity tolerance in spring wheat, broad sense heritabilities of different yield components and seed yield were estimated for two F2 populations. One population was derived from a cross of salt tolerant cv LU26S (from Pakistan) and salt tolerant cv Kharchia (from India). The second F2 population was derived from a cross of cv LU26S and cv Candeal (from CIMMYT). Both F2 populations and their corresponding parents were grown in pots containing soil salinized with 2.81 (control), 8, 16, and 24 dS/m prepared by dissolving NaCl + CaCl2 (1:1 by wt.) in full strength Hoagland nutrient solution. Broad sense heritability estimates, calculated at different salinity levels, of number of tillers per plant ranged from 0.49 to 0.60; of 1000 seed weight, from 0.57 to 0.80; of number of grains per spike, from 0.64 to 0.78; and of seed yield, from 0.60 to 0.91. These results suggest that improvement in salinity tolerance in the spring wheat is possible through selection and breeding.