Heterosis in interspecific Brassica hybrids grown under salinecondition

• Published in: Journal of biological sciences (Faisalabad, Pakistan) Vol. 4; no. 5
• Main Author: Das, G.G.,Bangladesh Agricultural Univ., Mymensingh(Bangladesh)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2004
• Subjects: BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS; GENOTYPES; HYBRIDS; SALINITY
• ISSN: 1727-3048

The experiment was conducted in pot culture from November 1998to March 1999 at the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding,Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Eighteen B.campestris hybrids and their 6 parents were tested for salinetolerance. The genotypes were grown in earthen pots. Mixture of soiland cowdung in 3:1 ratio was the growth media. Sodium chloride wasused as the sources of salt. Two salinity levels viz., 1.43 and 12.00dS m-1 EC were maintained. There were three replications in eachtreatment. The genotypes were grown up to maturity and thecharacters germination percentage, days to germination, plant heightat 25, 35 and 45 days, days to flowering, plant height at harvest,days to maturity and seed yield/plant were studied. The analysis ofvariance showed that variation due to salinity levels, genotypes andinteraction between salinity levels and genotypes were significant forthe experiment. Comparing the mean values of 12 dS m-1 EC withthat of the control i.e., 1.43 dS m-1 EC it was observed that effectof higher salinity level on different characters was very sharp inthe experiment. At higher salinity level germination percentagedecreased, days to germination increased, plant height decreased,days to flowering and maturity increased and seed yield/plantdecreased. It was further observed that effect of salinity was moreprominent up to flowering stage then it was gradually decreasedprobably due to watering which was necessary to raise the plants.Heterosis was estimated over mid-parent and better parent. Out of324 heterosis values, 54 were desirable and significant over mid-parent and 39 over better parent. On the basis of desirable andsignificant heterotic values over mid-parent the hybrids were scoredfor the characters germination percentage, days to germination, plantheight at 25, 35 and 45 days and days to flowering and then ranked.On the basis of rank position the hybrids Sampad x M-395, M-91, xM-27, Dholi x M-27, M-395 x M-91, Dholi x M-395, M-18 x Sampad, M-91 x M-18, M-27 x Dholi and M-27 x M-91 were found to be promisingagainst salinity.