Screening of the okra genotypes for their tolerans to salinity and drought stresses

In this study, salinity and drought responses of the 37 okra genotypes have been investigated. The goal of the work was tolerance levels of the okra genotypes have been determined. The okra genotypes with high tolerance level can be suggest to the growers and also can be used as genetic material in breeding programs in the future. The plants have been grown in vermiculite by ?substrate culture? technique. The bean genotypes have been grown with 200mM NaCI for salinity stress and irrigation was stopped gradually for drought stress. Control plants without stress have also been grown. Young plant stage (24 days old plant) was used for screening studies and plants were not been grown until fruit stage. In order to identified tolerance and susceptible okra genotypes some morphological and physiological measurements and analysis have been realized; 0-5 scale evaluation for the symptomatic appearance of the plants, shoot fresh and dry weights, root fresh and dry weights, leaf number per plant, leaf area, SPAD chlorophyll meter reading, membrane injury index, leaf relative water content, leaf water potential, leaf osmotic potential, stomata conductance, leaf temperature, Na, K, Ca and Cl concentrations of the shoot and root samples. All these parameters? differences in salinity and drought stresses via control have been calculated. Also the relationships among the parameters have been investigated.At the end of the study, large variations have been determined in okra genotypes for their salinity and drought responses. Thirty-seven okra genotypes have been classified; tolerant, mild tolerant and susceptible. In general okra plants sometimes have been shown similar responses in saline and drought conditions, however, salinity stress more severe than drought stress.