Screening six varieties of rice (Oryzasativa) for salinity tolerance

Salinity is a constraint to the sustainable agricultural production. Increasing salinity is found to inhibit growth, height, and total of leaf area of rice from vegetative to generative stages. Electrophysiologically, increasing salinity and exposure duration reduce the PD of the plant leaves. The screening focuses on the response of six varieties of rice (Oryza sativa) grown in a glasshouse subjected to five different salinity levels [0mM; 50mM; 100mM; 150mM and 200mM of NaCl]. Death occurred at 200mM of NaCl though all six varieties were tolerant to 100 mM of NaCl during 4 weeks of application, and four varieties of rice were found to be sensitive to salinity around 150mM of NaCl during 3 weeks of application. In turn, this study will help increase the security of the major food demand consumed by around 90% of Indonesian and protect the livelihood sustainability of around 67% Indonesian farmers, and help reduce starvation risk of a community due to salinity effects. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.