Studies on salt tolerance in Vitis spp

Abstract

A pot culture experiment was conducted during 2004-2006 at the College of newlineAgriculture, Dharwad to study variability in salt tolerance of rootstocks, varieties and their newlinestionic combinations and find out the effect of AM fungi (Glomus fasciculatum) on growth and newlinenutrient uptake of grape rootstocks under varying levels of soil salinity. newlinePlant growth (shoot length, internodal length, stem girth, number of leaves per vine, newlineleaf area, root length, root volume and dry weight) significantly decreased with the increase in newlinesalinity levels in all the rootstocks, commercial varieties and stions studied. At the maximum newlinesalinity level of 8 dS m-1 total plant mortality (100%) was observed in commercial varieties newlineviz., Thompson Seedless, Sharad Seedless and Sonaka, whereas, Bangalore Blue recorded newline50 per cent plant mortality. Among the rootstocks, maximum plant mortality (50%) was newlineobserved in both St. George and 1613, while minimum (25%) in Dogridge and Salt Creek at newlinethe salinity level of 8 dSm-1. In the stions maximum plant mortality (50%) was observed in newlinevarieties grown on St. George and 1613 rootstocks. Varieties grafted on Dogridge recorded newlinelow mortality (25%). Mycorrhiza inoculated rootstocks performed better in saline conditions newlinecompared to uninoculated plants and the plant mortality was low in mycorrhizal plants newline(2.50%) as against uninoculated (7.50%). newlineOn the basis of index values analyzed considering plant mortality, various growth newlineparameters, physiological parameters and nutrient contents in the leaves (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, newlineNa, Cl and K:Na) as affected by varying levels of salinity, grape rootstocks, varieties and newlinestions studied were ranked as (1)Rootstocks: Dogridge gt Salt Creek gt 1613 gt St. George, newline(2) Commercial varieties: Bangalore Blue gt Sharad Seedless gt Sonaka gt Thompson newlineSeedless and (3) Stions: Thompson Seedless on Dogridge gt Sonaka on 1613 gt Sonaka on newlineDogridge gt Sonaka on St. George gt Sharad Seedless on St. George gt Thompson Seedless newlineon 1613 gt Sharad Seedless on 1613 gt Thompson Seedless on St. George gt Sharad newlineSeed