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Four nationally recommended barley genotypes namely, J-51, J-54, J-58 and J-98 along with exotic variety, Dictator and international check, Beecher were investigated for their response to six levels of irrigation water salinity viz. control (1 dSm-1), 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 dSm-1 consecutively for two years during winter seasons of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 (November to March) under field conditions. The results indicated that the effects of salinity, genotypes and their interaction were highly significant (p < 0.01) for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of tillers and dry matter % in both years. The main effects of salinity and genotypes were highly significant only in respect of green matter and dry matter yields (p < 0.01) at harvest in both years. However, only the effect of salinity was significant (p < 0.05) for chlorophyll content. Adverse effect of salinity was observed in all the genotypes for all characters. Salinity tolerance of barley genotypes was assessed applying the concepts of lower stress susceptibility indexes at each higher salinity level in relation to control and higher meanvalues over the salinity treatments with respect to each character for selecting the most tolerant genotypes. Among all the genotypes tested, the salinity tolerance of J-58 was of higher order and consistency as it scored high mean values across salinity environments (levels) for all the characters except leaf width, followed by J-51 which also scored higher mean values across salinity environments (levels) in respect of six out of eight characters viz. plant height, leaf length, leaf width and green and dry matter yields. The values of stress susceptibility index, however, were found inconsistent to provide any clue for comparative salinity tolerance of the genotypes, studied. Beecher and J-98 were assessed in general as moderately tolerant whereas Dictator and J-98 were sensitive to salinity.

Keywords: Salinity, irrigation water, tolerance, growth, yield, barley.

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Citation: Rabeea J, Nadaf SK, Al-Wahibi HS, Al-Habsi SS, Al-Harth AS (2015). Response of selected barley genotypes to different levels of irrigation water salinity. J. Agric. Crop Res. 3(1): 1-10.