Mechanisms of salinity tolerance in Pearl Millet Napier (PMN) hybrids [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] x [Pennisetum purpureum (K.) Schum]

M. AMULYA; M. B. DODDAMANI; EDNA ANTONY; V. B. KULIGOD

doi:10.61475/JFS.2025.v38i4.25

M. AMULYA Department of Crop physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India
M. B. DODDAMANI Department of Crop physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad - 580 005, India
EDNA ANTONY Department of Plant Physiology, ICAR-IGFRI-SRRS, Dharwad - 580 005, India
V. B. KULIGOD Department of Soil science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Dharwad - 580 005, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.61475/JFS.2025.v38i4.25

Keywords: Membrane stability, Salinity, Tissue tolerance

Abstract

Soil salinity affects various physiological and biochemical processes, reducing plant biomass production. Salinitystress affects the physiology of whole plants at cellular levels through osmotic and ionic stress. The study was undertakenat Main Agricultural Research Station (MARS), Dharwad, to evaluate the four Pearl millet Napier (PMN) hybrids viz.,DHN6, BNH14, COBN5 and Phule Yashwanth under saline conditions and also to understand the physiological and biochemicalmechanisms in [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] × [Pennisetum purpureum (K.) Schum]. The experiment was laid out in afactorial, completely randomised design with 5 replications in pot trials. The treatments are 0ECe (control) and 12ECe (salinity). A combination of salts of NaCl, Na2SO4, MgCl2 and CaSO4 in the ratio 13:7:1:2, respectively, was used to prepare saline soils. Changes in membrane stability and total biomass were recorded at each harvest. At 12ECe, the highest and lowest biomass wasrecorded in Phule Yashwant and DHN6, respectively. The fresh stem weight of all genotypes, except DHN 6, increased undersalinity compared to the control but the dry weight in all genotypes decreased under salinity in all the genotypes. The membranestability of all the genotypes increased as the plant matured at 12ECe in both harvests. COBN5 and Phule Yashwant have hightissue tolerance, and the genotype DHN6 recorded the lowest tissue tolerance. The sensitive genotype DHN 6 had the highest leafsucculence under salinity. PMN hybrids increase the stem biomass under salinity conditions to store salts in the stem, a nonphotosynthetictissue to protect the leaves, which contain photosynthetic machinery.