Inter-accessional variation for salt tolerance in pea (Pisum sativum L.) at germination and screening stage

In order to improve salt tolerance, it is important to explore inter-cultivar genetic variation for salt tolerance, so a greenhouse experiment was conducted to screen 11 local accessions of pea (Pisum sativum L.) at the germination and seedling stages. Seeds of 11 local pea accessions were brown at five different levels of salinity (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 mM NaCl) for two weeks. Both speed of germination and germination percentage of seeds were severely reduced due to increasing intensity of salt stress. Similarly, growth of all pea accessions examined as fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots declined due to salt stress. However, a great magnitude of variation for salt tolerance was observed in the set of pea accessions in terms of all attributes measured. On the basis of salt tolerant indices, the 11 accessions were categorized into three groups i.e., salt sensitive, moderately salt tolerant and salt tolerant. Although, a substantial account of genetic variation for salt tolerance existed in the available germplasm of cultivars, the germination percentage or speed of germination were not found effective for screening purpose. Overall, cv. Meteor followed by 9200 was found to be salt tolerant which could perform well on saline soils at least at the early growth stages.