Screening of Some Selected Teff Varieties/Lines for Their Salt Stress Tolerance

Salinity is one of the major environmental problem that lead to deterioration of agricultural land and, as a result, to reduction in crop productivity. This research tested to evaluate and identify salinity stress tolerant Teff varieties/lines and to determine the effect of salinity at different levels of NaCl. The screening procedures were conducted at three growth stages; germination, seedling and field experiment. Experimental treatment included 3 levels of NaCl (0, 10 and 15 dS m-1) at germination and seedling stages. Results indicated that, all investigated traits were affected by salt stress at germination and seedling stages. Similarly, salinity reduces yield and yield components of Teff varieties at actual field experiment. Thus, based on the analysis results at different screening stages, Kora and DZ-01-974 had average maximum values of yield and yield attributes in all investigated parameters and hence, selected as promising varieties to tolerate saline environments. Accordingly, Kora and DZ-01-974 were recommended for yield and yield attributes maximization. Therefore, these varieties should be validated and demonstrated to more numbers of farmers in larger plots so as to recommend to extension and end users in the district. Keywords : Teff, Salinity, NaCl, Growth parameters, Yield attributes DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-3-07