Inter‐cultivar variation for salt (NaCl) tolerance in a potential oil‐seed crop ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Br.)

Abstract

In order to examine inter‐cultivar/line variation for salt tolerance in Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Br.) 25 strains were screened at the germination and seedling stage, at 200 mol m^‐3 NaCl. Although variation for salt tolerance at both initial growth stages was significant, there was no positive relationship between tolerance examined at germination or at the seedling stage. However, some parallels were possible to be drawn between percent germination and rate of germination of most lines tested. Three strains, C90–1191, P5/80 and Yellow Dodella were found to be the most salt tolerant of all lines tested on the basis of their performance under salt stress in seedling growth, percent germination or rate of germination except the latter which was intermediate in the latter two variables of germination. The presence of great amount of intercultivar/line variation of NaCl tolerance depicts that improvement in this characteristic in this species is possible through selection and breeding.