Effect of soil salinity on growth, yield and quality of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

The investigation was planned to study the effect of salinity on brinjal and executed at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during the year 2017–18 and 2018–19. The experiment was conducted in split plot design, keeping the salinity levels as main plot, and genotypes as sub main plot. One hundred and two genotypes of varying texture, shape and size were selected for the experiment from the available brinjal germplasm. For induction of salinity, sodium chloride, magnesium sulphate and calcium chloride were used in ratio 2:1:1 in field and pot. These genotypes were screened for salt tolerance at three different levels of salinity (2ds/m, 4ds/m and 6 ds/m and control) and 19 genotypes were categorized under tolerant, 39 as semi-tolerant and 44 were susceptible to salinity. Tolerant genotypes were subjected to more evaluation for growth and quality related characters under field as well as under pot conditions. It was observed that the growth and yield contributing factors i.e. plant height, leaf area, root fresh and dry weight, fruit yield decreased as the salinity level increased, and internodal distance increased as the salinity level increased. On the basis of evaluation, brinjal genotypes SL-8-Pb-1-3-1-4 followed by KbSR-343-1 and bL-215 performed better upto 4 ds/m levels of salinity with a slight decline in yield traits, but at 6 ds/m yield was drastically reduced, which was 12%, 28% and 28.5% respectively as compared to control. In terms of quality related traits, chlorophyll and carotenoide content decreased as the salinity level increased. On the basis of evaluation, brinjal genotypes SL-8-Pb-1-3-1-4 followed by KbSR-343-1 and bL-215 performed better than other genotypes for all growth and quality traits. The investigation led to the conclusion that SL-8-Pb-1-3-1-4 (Small Long), KbSR-343-1 (Round) and bL 215 (Long) were the ideal genotypes for salt tolerance under field and pot conditions. Hence, these three brinjal genotypes could be addressed for future studies in salt affected area of Punjab.