High Salt‐Tolerance Potential in Wheatgrasses1

Abstract

To determine the potential of various species of wheatgrasses (Elytrigia Desv.) as gene sources for the improvement of salt tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.), six wheat accessions, previously identified as salt‐tolerant, and 36 wheatgrass accessions, representing 13 species, were grown from the seedling stage. Plants were grown in gradually increasing concentrations of NaCl in hydroculture with one‐half strength Hoagland's solution. Tolerance to the NaCl was determined for the wheat plants by scoring survival in 250 mM NaCl and for the wheatgrass plants by scoring survival in 500 mM NaCl and in 750 mM NaCl. while no wheat plants survived the stress with 250 nM NaCl, several wheatgrass accessions had large percentages of surviving individuals in 750 MM NaCl. The four most tolerant species were: Elytrigia scirpea (Presl) Holub, E. pontica (Podp.) Holub, E. junceiformis Love et Love, and E. diae (Runemark) nom. nud. Since these species are also among those most easily hybridizable with wheat, they are the best candidates for sources of salt tolerance.