MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SUNFLOWER GENOTYPES (Helianthus annuus L.) UNDER SALINE CONDITION

Investigations on characterization of sunflower genotypes under different salinity (NaCl) levels were carried out at Saline Agriculture Research Centre, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Seeds of three sunflower genotypes (SF-187, S-287 and HYSUN-33) were sown in lysimeter and three salinity levels (control, 9 and 12 dS m^-1) were developed by using NaCl salt. Results revealed that salinity stress drastically affected the morphological, physiological and chemical attributes of all sunflower genotypes under all levels of salinity. Studies further exhibited that Hysun-33 was found leading genotype at high level of salinity (12 dS m^-1) by showing less reduction in all plant growth attributes i.e. plant height (46.58%), plant biomass (83.20), SPAD value (21.68%), flower diameter (41.80%), flower weight (78%), relative increase in plant height per day (13%), relative growth rate (53.33), Ca^+2 (8%) concentration and K^+/Na^+ (65.60%), relative to percent of control treatment. The results of our experiment clearly indicated that HYSUN-33 can perform well followed by SF-187 and genotype S-287 is sensitive to salinity.