In Vitro Evaluation of Oat Cultivars Against Drought and Salinity Stress Tolerance

Abstract
| Agricultural yield in Pakistan is liable to environmental constraints, mainly salt and water stress due to their elevated degree of impression and non-availability of salt and drought tolerant oat cultivars. For the purpose in-vitro study was conducted at NARC fodder laboratory to study the response of two oat cultivars namely NARC and PARC Oat against drought and salinity stress. Salt concentration of 80 mmolLˉ¹ showed non-significant effect on germination % and shoot length of both oat cultivars except salt concentration of 120 mmolLˉ¹, but tolerance in NARC, Oat is higher than PARC oat. Salt concentrations positively increased root length, except in PARC oat at 120 mmolLˉ¹. Drought stress (PEG) significantly reduced the shoot length in PARC, Oat cultivar when 20% solution was applied. Where both treatments were applied in combinations to measure the drought and salinity tolerance at initial seeding stages of both oat cultivars, no significant effect was observed on germination %, shoot and root length of both oat cultivars, however PARC, oat performs better at 10 % and 20 % drought stress with salinity level of 80 mmolLˉ¹. However, both cultivars showed significantly stunted performance at 10 % and 20 % drought stress with salinity level of 120 mmolLˉ¹ when compared with control treatment. The results of the study present the potential resistance of NARC oat against salinity and PARC oat against drought stress. This study will helps in selection of salt and drought tolerant oat cultivars for the affected areas.