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Pak. J. Bot., 42(1): 141-154, 2010.

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Screening for salt tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids at an early seedling stage

MUHAMMAD AKRAM^3*, MUHAMMAD YASIN ASHRAF^2*, RASHID AHMAD¹, EJAZ AHMED WARAICH¹, JAVED IQBAL⁴ AND MUHAMMAD MOHSAN⁵

Abstract: An efficient and simple mass screening technique for selection of maize hybrids for salt tolerance has been developed. Genetic variation for salt tolerance was assessed in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) using solution-culture technique. The study was conducted in solution culture exposed to four salinity levels (control, 40, 80 and 120 mM NaCl). Seven days old maize seedlings were transplanted in themopol sheet in iron tubs containing ½ strength Hoagland nutrient solutions and salinized with common salt (NaCl). The experiment was conducted in the rain protected wire house of Stress Physiology Laboratory of NIAB, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Ten maize hybrids were used for screening against four salinity levels. Seedling of each hybrid was compared for their growth under saline conditions as a percentage of the control values. Considerable variations were observed in the root, shoot length and biomass of different hybrids at different salinity levels. The leaf sample analysed for inorganic osmolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium) showed that hybrid Pioneer32B33 and Pioneer30Y87 have high biomass, root shoot fresh weight and high K⁺/Na⁺ ratio and showed best salt tolerance performance at all salinity levels on overall basis.

¹Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

²Nuclear Institute for Agriculture & Biology (NIAB) P.O Box 128 Jhang Road, Faisalabad Pakistan

^3,5Pulses Research Institute, AARI, Faisalabad, Pakistan

⁴Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.