Nitrogen (N) and Potassium (K) Supplementation to Improve Salt Tolerance in Brassica (Brassica juncea, cv: Agati sarheen)

To observe the mitigating effects of nitrogen and potassium under salinity on Brassica juncea (cv. Agati sarheen), N and K was supplemented at different stages of growth. The studies were conducted under control condition (gravel culture). Salinity (12 dS/m) was imposed by NaCl salt after three weeks of germination through irrigation (1/4th Hoagland solution). Nitrogen and Potassium was applied exogenously in the form of KNO3 @ (T1. 30mM and T2 60mM) at vegetative and flowering stage. There was decrease in growth and yield under salinity. However; the relative reduction in plant height, slique length, grain wt/ 5 slique and grain yield/ 15 plants was comparatively low due foliar application of N and K as compared to non applicated plants. The overall accumulation of organic solutes (proline and glycine betaine) was significantly high under salinity. The response of N and K application was almost nil in case of proline accumulation. On the other hand application of KNO3 @ 30mM showed increased accumulation of glycine betaine. The uptake of Na under salinity was less in plant having KNO3 application @ 30mM (T1). Potassium content under saline condition was high in KNO3 @ 60mM (i.e. T2 treatment), resulting in high K/Na ratio. The application of KNO3 also found to increase in nitrogen content in brassica. It is therefore concluded that better performance of brassica genotype under salinity might be due to low Na uptake and high K/ Na ratio especially under T1 treatment (i.e KNO3 @ 30mM).