Effect of Salinity Stress on some Germination and Vegetative Growth Indices of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Genotypes

To investigate the effects of salinity stress on some germination and vegetative growth indices of lentil (Lens culinaris Medic) genotypes، two separate experiments were conducted at glasshouse and laboratory of College of Agriculture، Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. In the first one، three electrical conductivities (including one، three and seven dS. m-1) were applied on germinating seeds of seven accessions and two cultivars of lentil and germination indices were investigated. In the second experiment، same salinities were applied on soils of pots on the same genotypes. After four weeks، dry mass and leaf areas were measured. Results showed that germination percentage، radical to plumule ratio، leaf area and dry matter per plant reduced with increasing in salinity levels; however there was no significant difference between EC= 4 and 7، except for germination percentage. On the other hand، considerable genotypic variation was observed in response to salinity in both stages but there was no significant correlation between tolerance to salinity in germination and vegetative growth phases. In the situation of this study، it seems that damage to growth at germination and vegetative phase induced by EC= 7 was relatively higher than EC=4.