Screening of sesame ecotypes (Sesamum indicum L.) for salinity tolerance under field conditions: 1-Phenological and morphological characteristics

Salinity is one of the most restrictions in plant growth in dry and semi dry land which effects production of many crops such as sesame. In order to study the phenology and morphology characteristics of 43 ecotypes and line of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) under salinity of irrigation water (5.2 dS.m-1) a field experiment was conducted at research farm of center of excellence for special crops, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during growing season of 2009-2010 based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that four sesame ecotypes could not emerge, 14 sesame ecotypes had appropriate emergence but died before reproductive stage and only 58 % of sesame ecotypes could alive until maturity. There was significant difference between sesame ecotypes for phenological stages and were varied from 64 to 81 days for vegetative and 60 to 65 days for reproductive stages. Plant height, number and length of branches also were different between sesame ecotypes. The highest and the lowest plant height were observed in MSC43 and MSC12 ecotypes, respectively. Number of branches per plant was from 1 to 8 and length of branches in 32 percent of ecotypes was more than 100 cm. There was a considerable correlation between seed weight in plant with reproductive growth (r=0.38**) and plant height (r=0.25). In addition different response of sesame ecotypes to saline water and also better morphological indices in some sesame ecotypes may be show the tolerance of these accessions to salinity. More studies may be useful for selection of sesame salt tolerance resources.