Role of potassium sources in improving salt tolerance in wheat varieties

A green house study was conducted to see the role of two potassium sources i.e. SOP and MOP in improving salt-tolerance of four wheat varieties Viz Inqulah 91, Punjab 96, Bukhtawar and SARC II at three salinity levels of 0.9, 7.5 and 15 dS m-1 developed artificially. The data indicated that grain and straw yield, K contents in grain and straw and K/Na ratio in grain and straw decreased with increasing salinity levels while Na trend was reverse. Among the sources of K, SOP proved to the superior to MOP regarding grain and straw yield, K contents and K/Na ratio in grain and straw. Sodium contents were found maximum in MOP treated posts. The interactions among salinity levels, K sources and varieties were significant. Maximum grain and straw yield was noted at combination of EC, 0.9 dS m-1 x SOP in SARC II in case of grain and Bukhtawar in case of straw. At combinations of 7.5 dS m-1 X SOP and 15 dS m-1 x SOP, SARC II gave highest grain and straw yield. Potassium contents were found higher in SARC II at all combinations of salinity x SOP. Sodium contents were non-significant in case of grain and significant in case of straw but were least in Inqulab-91 (straw) at all combinations of salinity x MOP. The ratio of K Na in grain was found maximum in Punjab-96 at combination of EC, 0.9 dS m-1 x SOP while Inqulab-91 has highest K/Na ratios at other two combinations of salinity x SOP. In case of straw K/N was found highest in Inqulab-91 at all combinations of salinity x SOP. (author)