Response of Some Bread Wheat Cultivars to Salinity Stress by Re-Use of Sea Water Under North Sinai Conditions

Abstract

Water salinity is a limiting factor stressed plants and associated with low wheat productivity in new reclaimed areas in Egypt such as North Sinai. Sea water is available water resources and renewable and non-exploited, it is necessary to maximize use of this water through scientific research for use in irrigation of wheat, to increase the cultivated area and thus, increase production towards self-sufficiency. So, two field experiments were carried out seasons aiming to investigate the response of three wheat cultivar (Triticum aestivum. L.; Masr 1 , Masr 2, Sakha 93 ) to four mixing ratios between well-water and sea water (control, 3:1, 2:1 and 1:1). Plants were subjected to salinity treatments at 60 days after sowing (DAS). Results showed that Masr 2 and Masr 1 cvs were superior for yield and its attributes, the superiority was obtained from Masr 2 cv as well as seed content of proline and protein. Also, dry leaf content of Na + and Cl -2 were higher for Masr 2 as compared to the other studied cultivars under low mixing ratio (3:1 Well water: Sea water), while, the K + concentration was decreased with the same treatment of Masr 2 . For soil analysis, EC, Na + , Mg +2 , K + , HCO 3 -2 and Clincreased but Ca -2 decreased under the highest mixing ratio (1 Well water: 1 Sea water). So, it could be recommended to cultivate Masr 2 wheat cultivar under North Sinai conditions, using mixing ratio 3 Well water : 1 Sea water to maximize the benefit of sea water and gain economic productivity of bread wheat in this area and similar regions.