Response of Elite Pearl Millet Genotypes to Salinity Stress in Oman.

The present investigation was conducted to screen and evaluate 30 elite salt tolerant genotypes of pearl millet bred under ICBA-ICRISAT Joint Project for salinity tolerance during 2004 and 2005 cropping seasons in sites having saline irrigation water ranging from 7.50 to 8.25 dS/m. The experiments were conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University Agricultural Experiment Station and the Rumais Research Center. The objectives included the comparison of these genotypes for important agronomic and physiological characters and selecting those with high forage yields and balanced nutrient composition. Ten entries were selected based on their forage yields. Their ionic contents as well as their chlorophyll and proline composition as they relate to salinity tolerance are discussed.