Identification of salt resistant wild relatives of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Twenty two wild relatives of mungbean belong to seven Vigna species were screened for salt tolerance under two salinity levels (control and 250mM NaCl) with five replications per treatment. The experiment was carried out in earthen pots containing soil, sand and farmyard manure (1:2:1 ratio) and lined with polythene bags in complete randomized block design (RBD). The investigated genotypes exhibited significantly variable response towards salt stress. The adverse effects of salinity on plant growth, branching, leaf size and color, necrosis and chlorosis symptoms were observed visually by taking photographs at regular intervals during the crop season. The symptoms of major biotic stress encountering with salinity stress i.e. yellow mosaic virus were also observed. Less reduction in the observed traits in the genotypes EC528960 and TCR86 indicated their efficient adaptability under saline environment and can be considered as salt tolerant as compared to the genotypes which exhibited reverse response. Salinity caused ≥80% up to 100% loss of yield in most of the genotypes that indicated their high susceptibility for salt stress. The identified salt resistant genotypes EC528960 and TCR86 can be effectively used as a source of major genes or traits that can be introgressed into the susceptible genotypes as mungbean or other related week crop by breeding for their genetic enhancement for saline regions.

Author(s): Nirmala Sehrawat*, K. V. Bhat, Raj K. Sairam and Pawan K. Jaiwal

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