Growth, yield, genetic parameters and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) of five rice varieties treated with sodium azide and sown under different saline conditions

Abstract

Sodium azide treatment significantly reversed the negative effects associated with plant development under saline conditions. Consequently, NaN3 treatment significantly improved growth, yield, and genetic parameters of the rice varieties under high salinity compared with the controls. High heritability values were recorded for number of tillers per plant (78.06%), number of panicles per plant (78.74%), and 100-grain weight (98.15%) indicating the possibility of evolving higher yield variants through selection. Chlorophyll mutations observed were albino, viridis, and striata. The RAPD analyses with primers OPR 02 (5′–CAC AGC TGC C-3′), OPC 04 (5′-CCG CAT CTA C-3′), and OPC 05 (5′–GAT GAC CGC C-3′) revealed different DNA banding patterns between controls and NaN3-treated plants.