Laboratory Screening of Coriander Genotypes for Drought Tolerance

Coriander fruits are an important spice of many countries of europe, northern africa, west, central and south Asia. In india it is cultivated in a area of 3.40 lakh hectares with an annual production of 2.23 lakh tonnes. Among the various environmental stresses, drought id common phenomenon in tropical countries. Choice of suitable accessions under rainfed situation is of prime importance in order to enhance the productivity of coriander. Application of physiological parameters to sort out drought tolerant accessions forms important criteria in screening suitable accessions for rainfed situation. With this view laboratory screening of coriander genotypes was taken up during the year 2007. The laboratory study involving an array 50 genotypes have clearly demonstrated that the genotypes are endowed with a wide degree of variation in respect of their sensitivity to induced moisture stress. Among the criteria considered for screening the variability manifested by the genotypes are of comparatively greater order for germination (27.5 to 0 %) and root length (0.68 to .25 cm) as against shoot length (5.47 to 2.00 cm) and vigour index (168.93 to 11.93).