Salt tolerance of cowpea genotypes during seed germination and seedling growth

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one of the most important grain legumes worldwide and its production is affected by increasing soil salinity due to global climate change. An experiment was conducted at the Plant Physiology Laboratory of the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the germination capability of seven cowpea genotypes under salt stress. The germination test was carried out in Petri dishes following two factorial CRD with three replications. Seven cowpea genotypes viz, Red Pine, Green Super, Hai Jiang San Hao, Kegornatki, Kegornatki Green, Kegornatki HYV & Kegornatki Red; and three salt levels viz, 0, 6 & 12 dSm-1, were used as experimental treatments. The germination percentage (GP), mean germination time (MGT), radicle and…