Advanced Journal of Plant Biology

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the vital agricultural food crops cultivated globally and a crop grown under an extensive irrigation scheme. In the semi-arid region of northern Nigeria, the interplay of climatic, geological, and anthropogenic characteristics renders the soil virtually saline. Among the monocot crops, rice is salt sensitive, and its productivity is severely affected by the accumulation of soluble salt in soils, especially in areas where irrigation is an essential aid to agriculture. A field trial experiment under split plot design (SPD) with three replications was carried out to assess the effects of NaCl and CaCl₂ at different concentrations (0.22, 4, 6, 8, 10 dSm^-1) on yield and yield components of some varieties of rice in Phase II Hadejia-Jama’are River Basin Irrigation Land. The result of the analysis of variance revealed that yield and yield components of rice were negatively affected among varieties and salinity of both salt types at different concentrations, particularly NaCl in the range of 8 to 10 dSm^-1. FARO 52 and FARO 44 produced higher yield, thus appeared to be more tolerant in terms of yield and yield components compared to JAMILA. It can be concluded that the yield and yield components of rice varieties studied were strongly affected among the varieties and the two salt types at different concentrations. As different rice varieties respond differently to salinity, it is recommended that more rice varieties need to be screened for salinity tolerance, and agronomic practices, including proper method of irrigation, water management and appropriate use of fertiliser, among others, should be reviewed to control the accumulation of salts in the soil.