Screening of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Genotypes under NaCl-Induced Salinity Stress at the Germination Stage

Abstract

The germination and early seedling stages are particularly sensitive to salt, as they are critical for crop establishment and future productivity. Salinity stress greatly limits germination and crop establishment in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.). The present study aimed to evaluate the germination response of Indian mustard genotypes under varying NaCl-induced salinity stress, compare their performance at the germination stage, identify salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive genotypes, and generate baseline data for breeding programs targeting salinity tolerance. The experiment was conducted in the School of Agriculture laboratory at Jigyasa University in Sherpur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. The study was conducted over 10 days, from December 13 to December 23, 2023, using the seedling pot method. This study tested 80 genotypes at five NaCl levels (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm) under controlled lab conditions. Germination dropped steadily from 70.5% without salt to 44.5% at 200 ppm, showing salt’s strong negative effect. We found significant genetic differences in tolerance. Genotypes such as EC-520747, EC-491779, CS-60, DRMR-IJ-31, and Pusa Agarni showed better germination under stress, while RH-119 and Jawahar Mustard-3 were more sensitive. The salinity tolerance index also fell as salt levels rose. These results show that screening at germination is a useful approach for identifying salt-tolerant genotypes for breeding programs aimed at improving mustard yields in saline soils.