INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BUSINESS, SOCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

ISSN: 2309-7892, Volume: 3, Issue: 1, Page: 07-12, January-March, 2015

Short Communication

EFFECT OF SA LINITY AT REPRODUCTIVE STA GE IN RICE

A. M. Mojakkir, M. Z. Tareq*, M. A. Mottalib1, A. B. M . Z. Hoque2 and M. A. Hossain

A. M. Mojakkir, M. Z. Tareq, M. A. Mottalib, A. B. M. Z. Hoque and M. A. Hossain (2015) Effect of Salinity at Reproductive
Stage in Rice. Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci. Res. 3(1): 07-12. Retrieve from http://www.ijbssr.com/currentissueview/14013073

Received Date: 12/12/2014 Acceptance Date: 05/01/2015 Published Date: 06/01/2015

Abstract
A pot experiment was conducted with two rice cultivars viz, Pokkali (salt tolerant) and BRRI dhan 29
(salt sensitive) at the grill house in the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University
(BAU), Mymensingh. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of two salt concentrations,
0 and 200 mM on reproductive growth of two rice cultiver. The experiment was laid out in Completely
Randomized Design (CRD) with six replicates. From the investigation it was observed that growth in
terms of yield declined due to reductions in panicle length, primary branch no., secondary branch no.,
filled grain no., thousand seed weight, chlorophyll content, tiller number, filled grain and increase
unfilled grain etc.

Key words: Salinity, Reproductive stage, Rice.

Introduction
Food security is a high priority issue of Bangladesh government in the recent years (FAO, 2007).
National food security is challenged by several factors, including population growth, urbanization,
industrialization, water s carcity and turbulence in global energy and food markets. In addition to
increas ed demand for a mammoth population, climate change is predicted to reduce food reserves due to
inhibition of crop productivity by increasing heat, drought and salinity (Battisti and Naylor, 2009).
Therefore, salinity research (coastal agri culture) gets a position in the list of priority research area in
National Food Policy Capacity Strengthening Programme (NFPCSP) since 2007. How does rice plant
cope with the problem (salinity), is addressing in the current study.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) produces more food for direct human consumption than any other crop. Since
2003, global rice consumption has exceeded 550 calories per capita per day, followed by wheat at 520
calories per capita per day and mai ze at 147 calories per capita per day (FAO, 2008). As the world's
population continues to grow towards an estimated 10 billion people by 2050, demand for ri ce will grow
faster than for other crops, because population growth is the greatest in the rice-consuming and rice-
producing regions of Asia, Africa and the Ameri ca (Dawe, 2007). In recent years, rice stocks have fallen
dramatically, such that in 2008 the stock to use ratio of rice was at the lowest level in 30 years (FAO,
2008). Switching from rice to other crops is unlikely to alleviate high prices and food sho rtages becaus e
other staple crops also show dramatic reductions in stocks. To ensure national food needs are met well
into the future, there is increasing realization that dramatic improvements in yield per hect are are
required. It needs time. Another alternative is to use unfavorable land, which remain fallow for most of
the year except for the monsoon season, such as saline areas of Bangladesh (Hossain 2007).
Rice is most sensitive to salinity in the root environment. The grain yield of many varieties is reduced by
hal f at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 6 dscm-1 , equivalent to an osmotic potential of about -0.23 Mpa
or 50 mol NaCl (Ponnamperuma, 1984). It is sensitive to salinity at the seedling stage (Yeo et at., 1990),
becomes tolerant at the vegetative phase and again becomes very susceptible at the reproductive phase in
terms of grain yield (Bhattacharya 1981). The toxicity of ions in rice, with special reference to sodium
(Murshed et al., 2008) has been extensively studied. Development of primary branches is basipetal,
being opposite to their initiation and, with the exception of the spikelet at the tip of the
primary/secondary branch (whi ch flowers fi rst), spikelet development on a branch is acropetal (Xu and
Vergara, 1986). Lack of synchronization in development is the cause of the dominance of spikelets in the
distal branches over those in the basal region. Frequently, many spikelets on the lower primary branches
do not produce a mature grain, and this loss of pot ential grains may adversely affect the grain number
and yield. This failure in spikelet development has been attributed to a limitation in carbohydrate supply
to the developing panicle (Murty and Murty, 1982). The principal steps of photosynthate trans fer within

*Corresponding Authors Email: mithun_tareq@yahoo.co

Department of Crop Botany, BAU, Mymensingh
1=Department of Soil Science, BAU, Mymensingh
2= Department of Biotechnology, BSMRAU, Gazipur
Effect of Salinity in Rice 8

the developing grain include phloem unloading from the crease region to the endosperm cavity,
subsequent movement into the endosperm (Ugalde and Jenner, 1990) and finally conversion into storage
material.
Considering the above points, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of salinity on
reproductive growth of rice.
Materials and Methods
Planting materials and nursing
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) seeds of the variety Pokkali and BRRI dhan 29 were obtained from the Crop
Botany Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and Bangladesh Agri cultural
Development Corporation (BADC). BRRI dhan 29 is short -statured, short-duration and salt sensitive
crop where Pokkali is tolerant and is an Indian local variety. Non-dehusked seeds were washed with
water for priliminary seed treatment. The seeds were surface sterilized with ethanol for 3 minutes as
described by Hernandez et al. (1995). The seeds then placed in plastic pots of 15 dm3 volume and filled
with 14 kg soils and prepared with cow dung and basal doze of fertilizers (urea 250g, TSP 200g MoP
200g in 10 kg soil). Each pot cont ained 0.14m3 soil. The treatment solutions consisted of NaCl (0 and
200 mM) experimental containers were laid out in CRD with 6 replications, consisting of total 24 pots.
Chlorophyll determination
Leaf chlorophyll was measured according to the methods as des cribed by Tareq et al., (2011). The
calculations were done following the formula as follows:
C a=0.0127 E 663-0.00258 E 645
C b =0.02288 E 645-0.00467 E 663
Statistical analysis
The collected data on various paramet ers under study was statistically analyzed. Analysis of variance
was calculat ed using the computer software program MSTATC (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).
Results
Number of tillers per hill
The highest tiller number per hill (12.75) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 at control and the lowest (4.91)
was recorded in Pokkali at treated condition. Salinity decreased tiller number signi ficantly in BRRI dhan
29 (24%) and 8% in Pokkali (Table 1).
Number of effective tillers per hill
The highest number of effective tillers per hill (9.51) was obs erved in BRRI dhan 29 at control (0 mM),
which signi ficantly di ffered in treated (200 mM) condition (5.50) (Table 1). In case of Pokkali, the
effective tiller number was 4.54 per hill at control and it was 4.38 per hill at treated pot. The dat a
expressed that the effective number reduction in BRRI dhan 29 was approximately 43% due to s alinity
which was 4% in Pokkali (Table 1).
Number of non-effective tillers per hill
The highest number of non-effective tillers per hill (4.25) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 at treat ed
condition which significantly di ffered from its control (3.24). In case of Pokkali, the number of non
effective tiller per hill was 0.83 for control and 0.96 for treatment. The increased number of non effective
tiller due to salinity was 31% for BRRI dhan 29 and 15% for Pokkali. (Table 1).
Table 1. Effect of salinity on tiller number of BRRI dhan 29 and Pokkali. Salinity stress was applied as
treatment after transplanting three seedling of 21 days in each
Effective Non effective
Variety NaCl(mM) Tiller number
tiller number tiller number
12.75±0. 03 9.51±0.02 3.24±0. 03
0
(100%) (100%) (100%)
BRRI dhan 29
9.75±0.31 5.50±0.13 4.25±0.24
200
(76%) (57%) (131%)
5.31±0.36 4.54±0.46 0.83±0.27
0
(100%) (100%) (100%)
Pokkali
4.91±1.30 4.38±1.81 0.96±0.90
200
(92%) (96%) (115%)

http://www.ijbssr.com
Mojakkir et al. 9

Meanvalues of six replicates ± SE

Values within the parenthesis represent percent of the control, which is taken as 100

Panicle length
The longest (25.67 cm) pani cle was recorded in Pokkali at control and the shortest (18.78 cm) was
recorded in BRRI dhan 29 at s alinity. Here, panicl e length of BRRI dhan 29 was decreas ed about 14%
due to salinity and it was 4% in Pokkali (Table 2).
Primary branch per panicle
Primary branch number was higher in BRRI dhan 29 than in Pokkali. In both, primary branch number
decreased at treated condition. Here primary branch number in BRRI dhan decreased about 9% while the
decrement was 4% in case of Pokkali (Table 2).
Secondary branch per panicle
Secondary branch number was 22.72 in BRRI dhan 29 and 22.48 in Pokkali at non-salinized condition.
In both, secondary branch number decreas ed at salinized condition. Here, secondary branch number in
BRRI dhan 29 decreas ed drastically (22%) while the decrement was 12% in case of Pokkali (Table 2).
Filled grain per panicle
The highest filled grain per panicle (81.67) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 at control condition and the
lowest (55.38) was recorded in the same at treated condition. At salinity, filled grain per panicle was
reduced by 33% over control in BRRI dhan 29 while it was 6% in Pokkali (Table 2).
Number of unfilled grain per panicle
The highest number of unfilled grain per panicle (16.70) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 and it was 35%
greater than the control. Salinity increased the number of unfilled grain per panicl e in Pokkali which was
15% greater over control (Table 2).
Total number of grains per panicle
The number of total grain per panicle was affected by salinity (Table 2). Total grain per panicle was
decreased by 19% in BRRI dhan 29 due to salinity and it was only 3% in Pokkali.
Grain weight per panicle
The highest grain yield per panicle (2.55 g) was observed in the same at control condition where the
lowest (1.78 g) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 at treated condition. Total grain weight per pani cle was
decreased by 31% in BRRI dhan 29 and by 5% in Pokkali in treated condition compared to their
respective controls (Table 2).
Grain weight per hill
The highest grain yield per hill (27.98 g) was obs erved in BRRI dhan 29 at control condition where the
lowest (19.74 g) was observed in Pokkali at treat ed condition. Total grain weight per hill was decreas ed
15% in BRRI dhan 29 and 11% in Pokkali in treated condition in comparison to their respective control
(Table 2).
Table 2: Effect of salinity on yield attributes and HI of BRRI dhan 29 and Pokkali grown under saline
condition (200 mM NaCl) and control condition (0 mM NaCl)

Mean values of six replicates ± SE

Values within the parenthesis represent percent of the control, which is taken as 100
http://www.ijbssr.com
Effect of Salinity in Rice 10

1000-grain weight
Salinity affect ed 1000-grain weight (Table 2). The highest 1000-seed weight (24.98 g) was observed in
Pokkali at control condition where the lowest (19.97 g) was observed in BRRI dhan 29 at treated
condition. 1000-seed weight was decreased 9% in BRRI dhan 29 and 7% in Pokkali in treated condition
in comparison to their respective controls.
Harvest index (%)
Salinity affected harvest index (HI) (Table 2). The highest (40.15%) HI was observed in BRRI dhan 29
at control condition where the lowest (23.58%) was observed in Pokkali at treated condition. Harvest
Index was decreas ed 29% in BRRI dhan 29 and 16% in Pokkali in treated condition in comparison to
their respective controls.
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content was measured from the third and fourth leaves at 21 days
after s alinization and the results are depicted in figure 1. All the components of chlorophyll either a or b
or both are susceptible to salinity. Chlorophyll a decreas ed 9% in BRRI dhan 29 and 12% in Pokkali
while chlorophyll b decreased 39% in BRRI dhan 29 and 29% in Pokkali. Total chlorophyll content
decreased 24% in BRRI dhan 29 and 19% in Pokkali. The chlorophyll b was more sus ceptible than the
chlorophyll a.

Fig 1. Effect of salinity on chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll content

After 21 days of salinization, 3rd and 4th leaves from the top were used for chlorophyll measurement. Bar
shows the value of SE.
Discussion
Rice is one the most sensitive cereals when exposed to salinity (Munns and Tester, 2008). Rice is
relatively tolerant of s alt stress during germination, active tillering and towards maturity and is sensitive
during the early s eedling and reproductive st ages (Moradi and Ismail, 2007). The physiological bases of
salt tolerance during the early s eedling stage are fairly established, key traits include salt exclusion,
compertmentation of ions in structured and older tissues, vigorous growth and higher tissue tolerance.
The chlorophyll content of rice leaves was measured as an indicator of metabolic status, partly for its
ease of measurement and because of the prominence of chlorophyll in any visual assessment of dam age.
All the chlorophyll components both a and b are susceptible to salinity (figure 1). In both the genotype
the components were decreased but the decrement was higher in case of BRRI dhan 29 (24% decreas ed
over control). Dat a also showed that the chlorophyll b was more sus ceptible than the chlorophyll a. Yeo
and Flowers (1983) suggested that the decreas ed in leaf chlorophyll could be due to accumulation of
sodium content within the leaf. It was also supported by Abdullah et al. (2001).
Salt stress significantly reduced the growth of two rice genotypes during reproductive stage (Table 1).
Panicle length decreased at treated condition (Table 2). Similar result was also report ed by Sen (2002).
Here BRRI dhan 29 decreased about 14% while the decrement was 4% in case of Pokkali. The grain
number per penicle (Table 2) reduced due to s alinity might be the refl ection of reduced penicle length
(Table 1), decreased primary and s econdary branches (Table 2) which are also important yield
contributing factors. They affects total grain number and yield directly. Abdullah et al. (2001) report ed
that the salinity caused the decreas e in compactness of seed yield per panicle which is also found here. In
all the cases the extent of decrement was higher in the BRRI dhan 29 (sensitive variety).

http://www.ijbssr.com
Mojakkir et al. 11

Result revealed that the number of filled grain per panicl e was decreased at treat ed condition in both the
varieties (Table 2). Here filled grain per panicl e in BRRI dhan 29 decreas ed highly (33%) while the
decrement was 6% in case of Pokkali. At the same time, the number of unfilled grain per panicl e was
increas ed at treated condition in both the varieties (Table 2). Unfilled grain per panicle number in BRRI
dhan 29 increased highly (35%) while the increment was 15% in cas e of Pokkali. Grains production per
hill was significantly affected due to high salinity (Table 2). Result revealed that the weight of grain per
hill was decreased at treated condition in both the varieties. In BRRI dhan 29 grain weight per hill
decreased highly 15% while the decrement was 11% in case of Pokkali. The similar result was also
reported by Abdullah et al. (2001). We observed the total tiller number and effective tiller number both
decreased highly in BRRI dhan 29 (Table 2). Again reduced panicle length, smaller primary and
secondary branch number (Table 2) was observed. All they might have strong influence in decreasing
grain yield per hill.
Table 2 shows that grain yield per panicle decreased in the t reat ed condition. Total grain weight per
panicle was decreas ed 31% in BRRI dhan 29 and 5% in Pokkali in treated condition in comparison to
their respective control. Reduced grain yi eld under salinity condition might be due to the production of
lower number of grains per panicle and smaller s eed size (low 1000-seed weight) (Table 2). Similar
result was also reported by Hossain (2006).
Seed size becam e smaller in the treated condition as lower 1000-seed weight found in Table 2. Weight of
1000-seed was decreased 9% in BRRI dhan 29 and 7% in Pokkali in treat ed condition in comparison to
their respective controls. Reduced 1000-seed weight under salinity condition might be due to lower
assimilate production and translocation to grain which might be due to damage of chlorophyll (Fig.1) and
toxicity raised in the plant. Similar result was also reported by Ali et al., 2005.
Economic yield decreas ed in the treated condition as was observed in decrease in harvest index (Table
2). Harvest index was decreased 29% in BRRI dhan 29 and 16% in Pokkali in treat ed condition in
comparison to their respective controls. The result indicates that the seed health declined in the saline
soils i.e. dry matter partitioning was not favorabl e under saline condition.
References
Abdullah, Z., Khan, M. A. & Flowers, T. J. 2001. Causes of Sterility in Seed Set of Rice under Salinity
Stress. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science. 187 (1):25-32.
Ali, M. A, Islam, M. T. and Islam, M. T. 2005. Effect of salinity on some morpho physiological
characters and yield in three sesame cultivars. J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ., 3: 209-2 14.
Battisti, D. S. and Naylor, R. L. 2009. Historical warming for future food insecurity with unprecedent ed
seasonal heat. Science. 323: 240-244.
Bhattacharya, R. K., 1981: Interaction between grain yield and some quantitative characters in rice
adapted to saline soils. Oryza 18, 147-149.
Dawe, D. 2007. Agricultural research, Poverty alleviation and key trends in Asia’s rice economy. In
Charting New Pathways to C 4 rice, Edited by Sheehy, J. E. and Mitchell, P. L. and Hardy, B.
IRRI, Manila, The Philippines. pp.37-53.
FAO. 2007. Review of Agricultural wat er use per country. http://www. Fao. Org./kr/water/aquastat/water
use/index. Stm. AQUAST. FAO, Rome.
FAO. 2008. Global network on integrated soil management for sustainable us e of s alt-affect ed soils.
Rome, Italy: FAO Land and Plant Nutrition management Service, http://wwwureau of
Statistics.fao. org/ag/agl/agll/spush
Gomez, K. A. and Gomez, K. A. A. 1984. Statistical Procedure for Agricultural Res earch. International
Rice Research Institute. John Willy and Sons. New York. 139-240
Hernandez J.A., Olmos, E., Cropas, F.J., Sevilla, F. and Del Rio, L.A. 1995 Salt induced oxidative stress
in chloroplasts of pea plants. Plant Science 105: 151-167.
Hossain, M. A. 2007. Physiological adaptation against salinity stress in rice: Osmoregulation is the
primary target. BAURES funded project.
Hossain, M. M. 2006. Effect of salinity level on growth and yield of advanced mutant rice in Boro
season. M. S. Thesis, Dept. Crop Bot., Bangladesh Agric. Univ., Mymensingh.
Moradi, F. and Ismail, A. 2007. Responses of photosynthetic chlorophyll flurescence and ROS-
scavenging systems to salt stress during s eedling and reproductive stage in ri ce. Ann. Bot. 99:
1161-1173.

http://www.ijbssr.com
Effect of Salinity in Rice 12

Munns, R. and Tester, M. 2008. Mechanisms of salinity tolerance. Ann. Rev. Plant Biol. 59: 651-681.
Murshed, M. G., Hossain, M. A., Tareq, M. Z. and Ashrafuzzaman, M. 2008. Short-term effect of
salinity on seedling growth of rice. Bangladesh J. Environ. Sci. 14(1):66-70.
Murty, P. S. S., and K. S. Murty, 1982: Spikelet sterility in relation to nitrogen and carbohydrate content
in rice. Indian J. Plant Physiol. 25, 40-48.
Ponnamperuma, F. N. 1984. Role of Cultivar tolerance in increasing rice production on saline land. In:
R. C. Staples and G. A. Toenniessen (eds), Salinity Tolerance in Plants: Strategies for Crop
Improvement. Wiley International, New York. pp. 255-271.
Sen, A. K. 2002. Salinity tolerance studies of som e transplanted aman ri ce cultivars. M. S Thesis, Dept.
Crop Bot., Bangladesh Agril. Univ., Mymensingh.
Tareq, M. Z., Hossain, M. A., Mojakkir, M. A., Ahmed, R. and Fakir, M. S. A. 2011. Effect of s alinity
on reproductive growth of wheat. Bangladesh J. Seed Sci. & Tech. 15 (1&2): 111-116.
Ugalde, C. F., and P. K. Jenjier, 1990: Route of substrat e movem ent into wheat endosperm. I. Car
bohydrates. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 17, 693-704.
Xu, X. and Vergara, B. S. 1986. Morphological Changes in Rice Panicl Development. A Review o f
Literature. IRRI. Research Paper Series, no. 117. IRRI, Los Banos, Philippines.
Yeo, A. R. and Flowers, T. J. 1983. Varietal differsnce in the toxicity of sodium ions in rice leaves.
Physiol. Plant. 59:189-195.
Yeo, A. R., Yeo, M. E., Flowers, S. A. and Flowers, T. J. 1990. Screening of rice genotypes for
physiological characters contributing to salinity resistence and thei r rel ationship to overall
perform ance. Theor. Appl. Genet.79:1-8.

http://www.ijbssr.com