Salinity Effects on Sugarcane Germination, Growth, and Root Development

Abstract

A study was made to determine the salt resistance of 10 sugarcane varieties, P.R. 980, P.R. 1000, P.R. 1013, P.R. 1016, P.R. 1017, P.R. 1028, P.R. 1048, P.R. 1059, M. 336 and Co. 419, in the greenhouse, where canes were established in soil initially nonsaline and irrigated with 0, 4,000-, and 8,000-p.p.m. solutions of sodium chloride at 2- to 3-day intervals. Among the three criteria, percentage of germination, rate of stem growth, and dry weight of root, used for evaluating varietal resistance to soil salinity, the rate of stem growth appeared to be the most significant. Based on the effect of the salt conductivity on the soil on the daily average stem growth, P.R. 1028 was the most resistant variety to soil salinity and P.R. 1000 was the most susceptible. P.R. 1028 showed no appreciable effect of salt concentration on stem growth, nor did it show any signs of salt damage on root development, when grown in the soil with a salt conductivity as high as 20 millimhos/cm., while P.R. 1000 had salt injuries when grown in the soil with a salt conductivity that exceeded 5.4 millimhos/cm.