Field-based evaluation of salt stress tolerance in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) across contrasting soil environments
Abstract
Salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting crop production worldwide, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Okra is considered moderately tolerant to salinity; however, its early growth and reproductive stages are highly sensitive. The present study was conducted to evaluate the response of different okra genotypes under naturally saline and normal soil conditions. The experiment was carried out at two locations: Location 1 comprised normal soil at the experimental field of the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, while Location 2 consisted of saline soil (electrical conductivity = 8.3 dS m⁻¹) at Proka-2 Farms, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Twenty genotypes were evaluated for morphological, yield-related, physiological, ionic, and antioxidant traits using analysis of variance, correlation, and biplot analysis. Salinity stress significantly affected all studied parameters, resulting in reductions in germination, reproductive performance, and yield components. Under salt stress, Na⁺ accumulation increased, whereas K⁺ accumulation decreased. Antioxidant enzyme activities, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), were enhanced, indicating activation of plant defense mechanisms against stress. Among the tested genotypes, Nirali and Okra-3A exhibited superior performance for yield-related traits under saline conditions, which was attributed to better ionic homeostasis and enhanced antioxidant capacity. These genotypes may be recommended for cultivation in saline environments and can be utilized in breeding programs to develop salt-tolerant hybrids.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33804/pp.010.02.6062
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