Effect of Salinity Stress on Yield, Component Characters and Nutrient Compositions in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Genotypes

Crops growing in salt-affected soils may suffer from physiological drought stress, ion toxicity, and mineral deficiency which then lead to reduced growth and productivity. Eight rapeseed genotypes were evaluated at control and two salinity levels of irrigation, i.e. ECe=0 dS m^-1 (control), 6 and 12 dS m^-1. A factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with 4 replications was considered for evaluation of 24 treatments. Significant mean square of the salinity levels and genotypes were exhibited for 1000-seed weight, pod length, seed yield, Mg, K and Cl, indicating significant differences of genotypes for the traits at three salinity levels. Pods per plant and Mg had lowest variations among the genotypes at the high salinity levels. Hyola401, LRT1 and KRN1 with seed yield of 3.09, 2.78 and 2.30 g/plot, respectively were considered as salt tolerant genotypes. Stress (12dsm^-1 ) to control ratio (S/C) which is indicating of salinity tolerance was high for seed yield of DSM12 and Hyola401.Significant positive correlation of seed yield with K and Cl, indicated that these shoot ions can be considered as good indicators for seed yield improving at saline environment.