Sowing date-induced salinity stress impacts the performance of mustard genotypes grown in the coastal saline areas of Bangladesh

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences 2023-03, Vol.16 (3), Article 202
• Main Authors: Howlader, Md. Mohsin, Alam, Md. Jahangir, Abdullah-Al-Mahmud, Gaber, Ahmed, Ahmed, Sharif, Hossain, Akbar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Coastal zone; Coasts; Crop growth; Crop yield; Crops; Cultivars; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Food security; Genotypes; Growth rate; Mortality; Mustard; Original Paper; Plant growth; Planting; Rainy season; Salinity; Salinity effects; Seasons; Seedlings; Soil; Soil salinity; Soils; Temperature tolerance; Wet season
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-023-11298-0

The large cultivable coastal areas of Bangladesh can play an important role in the country’s food security if utilized properly by intensifying the crop. Currently, mono-cropping (rainy season rice) is the major practice in these areas and the land is mostly fallow during the rabi season (mid-November to mid-March) due to a relatively high concentration of soil salinity. Recently, it is found that the cultivation of mustard is a feasible option in coastal areas; however, their optimum sowing windows are still unexplored. Late sowing of mustard in coastal saline areas results in reduced yield due to a gradual increase in soil salinity. To figure out the relationship between the growth and yield of mustard cultivars with different sowing dates induced salinity and also adopt suitable sowing dates to reduce crop yield loss, the experiment was conducted in southern Bangladesh during the 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 crop seasons. The trial included four sowing dates of mustard—17 November, 25 November, 3 December, and 11 December along with three mustard varieties “BARI Sarisha-13,” “BARI Sarisha-14,” and “BARI Sarisha-16.” Across sowing dates, the salinity level increased as plant growth and development progressed, and the late-sown crop had a more pronounced effect of salinity on crop performance. Seedling mortality increased when the sowing date was delayed and compared to November 17 sowing on December 11 had a 20–25% higher seedling mortality rate. Crop growth rate, as well as crop duration of mustard varieties, decreased with the delayed sowing, and across varieties, crop duration decreased by 5–23 days when the sowing date was delayed from November 17 to December 11. The seed yield and oil content decreased with the sowing date onwards after November 17. Across sowing dates, the performance of the variety BARI Sarisha-16 was comparatively better in terms of higher seed yield and less yield reduction when the sowing date was delayed from November 17 to November 25. The late-sown crops greatly affected the mustard growth and yield due to rising soil salinity and as well as temperatures. Results indicated that in the coastal areas of southern Bangladesh, the sowing of mustard must be completed within the third week of November and improved varieties having both salinity and temperature stress tolerant can greatly help to boost yield.