International Journal of Research Studies in Biosciences (IJRSB) Volume 3, Issue 8, August 2015, PP 23-27 ISSN 2349-0357 (Print) & ISSN 2349-0365 (Online) www.arcjournals.org ©ARC Page 23 Evaluation of Performance and Variability of Six Sorghum Genotypes under Salinity Stress Rania S. El Sanousi Department of Botany and Agricultural Biotechnology Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum Khartoum North, Shambat, Sudan raniasanousi@gmail.com Awadalla A. Abdelmula Department of Agronomy Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum Khartoum North, Shambat, Sudan Ismail A. Mohammed Department of Botany and Agricultural Biotechnology Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum Khartoum North, Shambat, Sudan. ismaildamer@gmail.com Neeti Sanan Mishra Plant Molecular Biology Group International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology ArunaAsaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, India Nada Babiker Hamza Commission for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering National Center for Research Khartoum, Sudan Abstract: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) has been ranked the fifth in importance among the cereal crops. It is moderately salt tolerant and is a C4 grass that is well adapted to semi-arid and arid regions where salinity is the major problem. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance and variability of six sorghum genotypes under two salt concentrations (200 mM and 300 mM). The length, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root were measured during salt stress. The results revealed that the plant growth measurements of the six sorghum genotypes was significantly reduced at two salinity levels; however the genotypes showed tolerant to the salt concentration 200 mM more than the concentration 300 mM. On the basis of results obtained using above parameters, the genotype Milo was the most tolerant to salt stress followed by Red Mugud. Keywords: Growth biomarkers, Salt Stress, Sorghum. 1. INTRODUCTION A biotic stresses such as salinity affect plant growth, development and productivity by imposing hyperosmotic and oxidative stresses, ion toxicity and nutrient deficiency. Saline soils are those soils with higher levels of soluble salts, such as sulphates (SO 4 ), carbonates (CO 3 ) , chlorides (Cl), calcium, magnesium, and potassium that among them sodium chloride has the highest negative effect on the plant growth and development. Soils contaminated with salts (EC > 4 dS m-1 or 40 mM NaCl or osmotic potential < 0.117MPa) are defined as saline land, which directly affects all stages of plant growth and development [1]. Salinity causes slow seed germination, sudden wilting, and reduce growth, marginal burn on leaves, leaf yellowing, leaf fall, restricted root development, and finally death of plants. Effects of salinity on