Screening of Blackgram Genotypes for Drought Tolerance using PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) Induced Drought Stress at Seedling Stage

Background: Drought is one of the abiotic factor. It is considered to be a moderate loss of water. Water is main source involving for all activities of plant growth throughout the crop plants. Seed germination is considered as one of the first and foremost fundamental life stages of a plant, where the success in growth and yield is also depending on this stage. Methods: An experiment was conducted in order to study the effect of different concentrations (i.e., 0, 10, 20 and 30%) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) stress on germination and early growth stages of 28 genotypes of black gram. Different germination indices such as germination percent, radical length, plumule length, along with drought parameters like drought tolerance index was measured. Conclusion: Results showed significant differences among the cultivars at each drought stress level and significant decrease was observed in germination, length of radical and plumule and radical and plumule dry matter parameters, among all the genotypes genotypes Nirmal 7, NRIB 002, MDU 1, VBN 8 and NUL 7 VISWAS showed their efficiency in terms of germination and germination attributes to with stand to the drought conditions.