Caracterização morfofisiológica da tolerância ao estresse salino em progênies de meios-irmãos de milho em fase vegetativa

Abstract

Salinity is one of the main challenges for agricultural production in semi-arid regions, where maize (Zea mays L.) stands out as one of the most cultivated crops. Although irrigation and the use of fertilizers can mitigate the effects of water and nutritional deficit, the salinity of the water used and fertilizer can compromise the growth and development of plants. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize the potential of maize half-sib progenies under different salinity levels, aiming to identify genotypes more adapted to salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a protected environment at the experimental farm of the Sertão Campus in Nossa Senhora da Gloria-SE, in 2024. A randomized block design was used, in a 21 x 2 factorial scheme with three replications, totaling 126 plots. Physiological and morphological variables were evaluated under vegetative phase and submitted to analysis of variance and principal components. The analysis of variance indicated significant effects for genotypes, salinity and interaction, mainly on fresh and dry leaf mass. In the principal component analysis, the genotypes G2, G6, G21 and G35 stood out for their greater biomass accumulation and water efficiency. Therefore, high genetic variability and potential for selection of salinity-tolerant materials are evidenced.