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. 2023 Mar 2:14:1121805.
doi: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1121805. eCollection 2023.

Deciphering trait associated morpho-physiological responses in pearlmillet hybrids and inbred lines under salt stress

Ashwani Kumar  1 , Parvender Sheoran  2 , Anita Mann  1 , Devvart Yadav  3 , Arvind Kumar  1 , Sunita Devi  1 , Naresh Kumar  1   4 , Pooja Dhansu  5 , Dinesh K Sharma  1
Affiliations

Deciphering trait associated morpho-physiological responses in pearlmillet hybrids and inbred lines under salt stress

Ashwani Kumar et al. Front Plant Sci. .

Abstract

Pearl millet is a staple food for more than 90 million people residing in highly vulnerable hot arid and semi-arid regions of Africa and Asia. These regions are more prone to detrimental effects of soil salinity on crop performance in terms of reduced biomass and crop yields. We investigated the physiological mechanisms of salt tolerance to irrigation induced salinity stress (ECiw ~3, 6 & 9 dSm-1) and their confounding effects on plant growth and yield in pearl millet inbred lines and hybrids. On average, nearly 30% reduction in above ground plant biomass was observed at ECiw ~6 dSm-1 which stretched to 56% at ECiw ~9 dSm-1 in comparison to best available water. With increasing salinity stress, the crop performance of test hybrids was better in comparison to inbred lines; exhibiting relatively higher stomatal conductance (gS; 16%), accumulated lower proline (Pro; -12%) and shoot Na+/K+(-31%), synthesized more protein (SP; 2%) and sugars (TSS; 32%) compensating in lower biomass (AGB; -22%) and grain yield (GY: -14%) reductions at highest salinity stress of ECiw ~9 dSm-1. Physiological traits modeling underpinning plant salt tolerance and adaptation mechanism illustrated the key role of 7 traits (AGB, Pro, SS, gS, SPAD, Pn, and SP) in hybrids and 8 traits (AGB, Pro, PH, Na+, K+, Na+/K+, SPAD, and gS) in inbred lines towards anticipated grain yield variations in salinity stressed pearl millet. Most importantly, the AGB alone, explained >91% of yield variation among evaluated hybrids and inbreed lines at ECiw ~9 dSm-1. Cumulatively, the better morpho-physiological adaptation and lesser yield reduction with increasing salinity stress in pearl millet hybrids (HHB 146, HHB 272, and HHB 234) and inbred lines (H77/833-2-202, ICMA 94555 and ICMA 843-22) substantially complemented in increased plant salt tolerance and yield stability over a broad range of salinity stress. The information generated herein will help address in deciphering the trait associated physiological alterations to irrigation induced salt stress, and developing potential hybrids in pearl millet using these parents with special characteristics.

Keywords: morpho–physiological traits; pearl millet yield; regression analysis; saline irrigation; salt tolerance; trait modeling.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of irrigation induced salinity stress on above ground plant biomass (AGB; g plant-1) and grain yield (GY; g plant-1) in pearl millet hybrids and inbred lines. Data represents mean value of 15 pooled measurements (3 plants per pot x 5 replications). Vertical bars labelled with boxes represent mean per cent reduction in AGB and GY due to salinity stress (averaged acrossed ECiw of 3, 6 and 9 dS m-1) in comparison to control treatment receiving best available water (ECiw-0.6 dS m-1). Capped lines represent ± standard error of the mean values.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Biplots representing the interaction of important physiological traits; (A) sodium to potassium (Na+/K+) ratio, (B) proline content (Pro; mg g-1), (D)above ground biomass (AGB; g plant-1) and (C) stomatal condcutance (gS; mol m-2 s-1) with grain yield (GY; g plant-1) of pearl millet hybrids (blue ☐) and inbred lines (red ∆) at ECiw -99 dSm-1. Data represents mean value of 15 pooled measurements (3 plants per pot x 5 replications); A: HMS 47A; B: ICMA 95222; C: ICMA 971ll; D: HTP 94/54; E: HBL 11; F: HMS 7A; G: AC04-13; H: ICMA 843-22; I: ICMA 94555; J: H77/833-2-202; K: HHB 67 Improved; L: HHB 226; M: HHB 234; N: HHB 223; O: HHB 272; P: HHB 146; Q: HHB 197.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Traits association among morpho-physiological and yield parameters under irrigation induced salinity stress in pearl millet (averaged across evaluated hybrids and inbred lines). PH, plat height; RWC, relative water content; MI, membrane injury; CC; chlorophyll content; SPAD, soil plant analysis development (SPAD) chlorophyll meter reading; Pn, photosynthetic rate; gS, stomatal conductance; E, transpiration rate; Pro, proline; SP, soluble proteins; SS, soluble sugars; Na, sodium content; K, potassium content; Na/K, sodium to potassium ratio; AGB, above ground biomass.
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