Salinity tolerance of coriander, fennel and fenugreek seed spices under semi-arid conditions of northern India

Abstract

The present study comprises of two experiments, first conducted in the field while the second in pot house. The field study was conducted on calcareous sandy loam soils of semi-arid regions irrigating crops with water of low salinity EC 4.6 dS m-1, high salinity 8.7 dS m-1, and alternate use of low and high salinity and observed the effect on growth, development and yield of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.). Among three modes of saline water irrigation, continuous low salinity water irrigation resulted in maximum growth and yield of all the three seed spice crops. It was followed by alternate use of irrigation where low and high salinity water irrigations were practiced. The maximum reduction in growth and yield was recorded in continuous use of high saline water irrigation. Among crops, fennel was the most tolerant followed by coriander and least tolerance was observed in fenugreek. Decrease in yield of coriander and fennel from low salinity to alternate irrigations with low and high salinity water was 6 and 27%, and 4 and 19%, respectively. In pot study, 12 promising varieties of each of coriander and fennel were evaluated for their tolerance to salinity of irrigation water ranging from 0.6 control to 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m-1. Relative yield reduction in each variety of two crops in response to salinity levels was worked out using piecewise linear response [Salt model] fitted to yield in response to salinity. The decrease in yield ranged from 4 to 63% among different varieties of two crops. Coriander variety RCR-446 and GCR-2 were found to be most tolerant while leafy/vegetable type variety as Pant Haritma and seed type as Sadhna and Swathi were least tolerant to salinity. In case of fennel, RF-178, RF-35,GF-1 and GF-2 were most tolerant to salinity of irrigation water.