ABSTRACT. Soil alkalinity has adverse effects on wheat plant at tillering, panicle emergence and anthesis stage. Soil alkalinity increases the Na accumulation and reduces K uptake which leads to higher Na'/K’ ratio in the leaves. It also decreases the amount of available Phosphorus in the plant because at high P", phosphates of Calcium and Magnesium are formed. In alkaline soil, exchangeable K converts to non exchangeable forms. Particularly, if alkalinity is due to CaCO,(over liming in acidic soil), the solubility of soil K is depressed, Calcium and Magnesium decreases due to fixation as Ca and Mg phosphate. The micronutrients such as, Fe and Mn are usually present in ferric (Fe”) and manganese (Mn") states and becomes unavailable to the plants increase in the P*from 7.2 to 9.1 and 9.4 delays complete panicle emergence(4-8 days) and flowering(1-2 days) at both tillering and panicle emergence stages. This result suggests that high Na'/K’ ratio of plant tissue may be critical factor for growth and development of wheat under alkalinity. Due to delay in flowering and panicle emergence, time required for maturity of grains shortens which ultimately results in decreased crop yield, Thete are two major approaches to improve and sustain high agricultural productivity in a saline environment for wheat as: ¥ Modifying the environment to suit wheat plants, ¥ Modifying the salt tolerant varieties of wheat crops in fieldSOME TERMINOLOGIES USED IN ASSIGNMENT: ¥- Itis moderately tolerant to relative salt sensitivity v Normal growth P'range for wheat: 6.3 to 7.0(slightly acidic) v Recommended growth P*range for wheat: 6.3 to 6.5 ¥ Botanical Classification: Kingdom: Plantae Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Sub-family: Pooideae Tribe: Triticeae Genus: Triticum ¥ Some species of wheat: T. aestivum T. aethiopicum T. avaraticum T. boeoticum T. carthlicum T. compactum T. dicaccoides T. dicaccon 7. durum T. ispahanicumT. karamyschevil T. macha T. militinae T, monococcum T. polo v Some varieties found in Nepal: ‘Achyut India 1997 Plains ‘Annapumal Mexico 1988 Hills ‘Annapurna? india 1988 Hills Bhrikuti Mexico 1994 Plains Bhairahawal135_| Nepal 1994 Plains Kanti Mexico 1997 Hills Pasanglhamu | Mexico 1997 Fills Lumbi india 1987 Plains Trivent India 7982 Plains Vaskar Mexico 1983 Plains | ‘SOIL PH AND NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY: v_ The word P* is derived from French word Pouvior hydrogen ¥ Itrefers to negative logarithm of hydrogen ion activity y_P"s7.0; soil is alkaline P"<7.0; soil is acidicHow soll pH affects availability of plant nutrients Nitrogen: Availability is high at P" 6 to 8 Phosphorus: Availability is high at P"6.5 to 7.5 Potassium: Availability is high at P" 5 to 10 Calcium and Magnesium: Availability is high at P* not greater than 8.5 Sulphur: Availability is high at P* 5 to 10 | SOIL ALKALINITY: v v When P" becomes more than 7.0; then soil is alkaline. Main problem of arid and semi-arid regions where evapo-transpiration exceeds precipitation so that soluble salts formed by weathering are not completely leached out of soil and concentrates in surface layer. Characterised by presence of Ca’, Na’, Mg” containing higher amount of OH than H’ in their carbonates. Causes: + Presence of minerals containing Na,CO; and NaHCO. * Local fired boilets/ Power plants when using coal. + Sodium salts used in industrial and domestic application Man made sodium salts. | FLOWERING: Capable of producing flowers, especially in contrast to a similar plant with the flowers inconspicuous or absent. The flowering plants (angiosperms) go through a phase of vegetative growth - producing more stems and leaves - and a flowering phase where they produce the organs for sexual reproduction. In wheat, it is most important phase of its life cycle to produce yields. Shortly after the wheathead has fully emerged, flowering (anthesis) occurs. However, flowering and pollination in cereals may occur either before or after head emergence, depending on plant species and variety, v In "annuals", like the snapdragon, the vegetative phase begins with germination of the seed. Flowering follows and ends with the senescence and death of the plant. ¥ Inbiennials, the vegetative phase takes up the first year; flowering followed by death occurs the second year. ¥ In perennials, flowering typically occurs year after year when conditions are appropriate TILLERING: Y The tillering stage begins with the emergence of lateral shoots (tillers) from the axils of the true leaves at the base of the main stem of the plant. v The tillers are formed from the auxiliary buds, located at each crown node. Primary tillers form in the axils of the first four or more true leaves of the main stem. ¥ Secondary tillers may develop from the base of primary tillers if conditions favour tiller development. Y Attiller may also develop from the coleoptile node (coleoptilar tiller), but this occurs sporadically and its appearance is dependent on genotype, planting practices, and environmental conditions. v At the base of each tiller is a sheath (small leaf like structure) called the prophyll, from which the tiller leaves emerge MAJOR EFFECTS OF ALKALINITY IN WHEAT: Alkaline soils lose their physical properties having low air spaces and contain excess exchangeable sodium which restrict air and water movement in the soil Recent progress in molecular genetics and plant electro-physiology suggests that the availability of a plant to maintain a high cytosolic K’/Na’ ratio appears to be critical to plant salt tolerance. It causes reduction in ion uptake, especially of N, P, K, Ca, Mg & Zn and lead to higher absorption of Na, Fe and Mn It causes reduction in soil redox potential resulting in higher reduction in plant growth.> When the P’ increases from 7.2 to 9.1 and 9.4, grain yield reduces to 69.3 and 95.7% resp. at all stages. (According to experiment on wheat) Increases in the P" fram 7.2 to 9.1 and 9.4 causes delay in panicle emergence (4-8 days over control) and in flowering (1-2 days) at tillering and panicle emergence stages. > It also delays maturity. Ultimately, this delay in complete panicle emergence, flowering and maturity lead to lower grain yield.