IN VITRO EVALUATION OF TOMATO GENOTYPES FOR SALT TOLERANCE AT SEEDLING STAGE

Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effect of salinity onthree tomato cultivars at seedling stage. The seeds of Arka Vikas, PKM-OP and YVU-1tomato cultivar were treated with 0.02M, 0.04M, 0.06M, 0.08M, 0.10M, 0.12M, 0.14M, 0.16M, 0.18M and 0.20M NaCl concentration. The percentage of germination, primary root length and shoot length were evaluated for the assessment of effect of different salt concentrations.The cultivars showed enhanced shoot and root growth at lower salt concentration and declined shoot and root growth at higher salt concentration. Complete seed germination was observed up to 0.06M salt concentration but the seed germination rate varied among three cultivars.At higher salt concentration(>0.08M)theseed germination percentage was reduced. All the cultivars at0.02Mand 0.04M NaClconcentration showed enhanced seedling growthin comparison with control and highest shoot and root length was observed in all cultivars at 0.04M NaCl. Allcultivars showedsignificant reduction in germination percentage and seedling growth rate at 0.10M concentration.Seed germination oftomato cultivarswas poor above 0.16M NaCl concentrations and complete inhibition was observed at greater than 0.20M salt concentration. Hybrid cultivar PKM-OP showed better tolerance to NaClthan other cultivars.