Variation and Heritability of Sodium Chloride Tolerance in Spring Wheat at Early Stage of Plant Development

Abstract

The response of 5‐week‐old wheat seedlings of 68 genotypes was assessed in three salinity levels (i.e., control, 12, and 24 dS/m⁻¹) developed in solution cultures on the basis of fresh root and shoot weight. The 68 genotypes responded differently to increasing salinity levels in the growing medium. The genotypes S‐24 and DN‐33, which produced greater root weights than those of DN‐30, appeared as the most tolerant, whereas WC‐78, DN‐27, and DN‐32 were the most sensitive genotypes. The estimates of broad sense heritability (h² _B) for absolute fresh root weight were 0.35, 0.038, and 0.018 in the control, 12, and 24 dSm⁻¹, respectively, whereas those for relative fresh root weight were 0.08 and 0.05 in low and high salinities, respectively.

Keywords:

• Genetic variability
• heritability
• salinity tolerance
• wheat