Multivariate Assessment of Salt Tolerance (NaCl) in Barley (Hordeum Volgar L.) Genotypes

Nowadays salt tolerance of crops is becoming more and more important, owing to the constant increase of salinity in arid and semi arid regions. This research was carried out in order to test of different salinity levels effects on yield of barley (Hordeum Volgar L.) genotypes, in split plot experiment on the base of Randomized Completely Block Design with 3 replications. Salinity treatment involved 5 levels: S1 (control)=EC 4.5 ds/m, S2=EC 7.5 ds/m, S3=EC 10.5 ds/m, S4=EC 13.5 ds/m and S5=EC 16.5 ds/m as main plot and subplots were 9 genotype involved promising lines and varieties. The effect of salinity treatments studied by sampling on yield and tolerance indices, such as geometric mean productivity (GMP), stress susceptibility index (SSI), mean productivity (MP), stress tolerance index (STI), tolerance index (TOL) and yield reduction ratio (Yr). Result showed significant decrease in yield by increasing in salinity levels. The best performance belonged to ValFajr and MBS8715 genotypes, and MP, GMP and STI were determined as major and suitable indices for selecting cultivars with high yield under different levels of salinity stress and non- stress conditions.