Morpho-physiological attributes of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) genotypes as influenced by brassinolide under salinity stress

Abstract

Seeds of Mungbean genotypes (HUM-23 and HUM-16) were pre-soaked at two different concentrations of brassinolide (BL), i.e., 0.01mM and 0.005mM, and seedlings were raised under controlled conditions in a plant growth chamber on the soil substratum stressed with salinity by adding NaCl at 100mM. Stressed plants caused a sharp reduction in growth plant-1 (viz., length of root, height of shoot, number of leaves, total leaf area and total dry weight). In general, Brassinolide at 0.005mM and at 0.01mM showed significant effects on germination percentage, number of leaves plant-1 and total dry weight plant-1 besides significant effects on length of root, height of shoot and total leaf area plant-1, respectively. By and large, BL applied genotypes improved growth activity along with mitigation of the damages of the said characteristics under salinity stress. Overall critical evaluation showed greater improvements in HUM-16 at the threshold level of 0.005mM BL under salinity stress, though HUM-23 was superior in germination percentage, length of root and height of shoot. Hence, economically viable concentrations of BL may be of importance in salinity stress alleviation.