12310 ISSN 2286-4822 www.euacademic.org EUROPEAN ACADEMIC RESEARCH Vol. III, Issue 11/ February 2016 Impact Factor: 3.4546 (UIF) DRJI Value: 5.9 (B+) Performance of fifteen rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars in relation to early seedling growth traits against NaCl salinized water SHAHIDA PARVEEN 1 ALLAH WADHAYO GANDAHI NAZIA RAIS MUJEEB RAHMAN SOOMRO Department of Soil Science Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan MAHMOODA BURIRO Department of Agronomy Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan Abstract: A laboratory experiment was conducted with the objectives to assess rice seedling growth performance and to examine the range of genetic variability for salinity tolerance among fifteen rice cultivars in a completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors and three replication at Seed Testing Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam Pakistan under four salinity (control 00, 50, 100 and 150 mM L -1 NaCl) levels. Data were analyzed statistically for germination (%), shoot and root length, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh weight, root: shoot ratio and seedling vigour index. The results showed that rice seed germination percent, shoot, root length, shoot fresh and dry weight, root fresh weight, root:shoot ratio and seedling vigour index were significantly decreased in all cultivars due to increasing salinity level. The higher values of studied traits were obtained in control (00 mM) treatments. However, highest decline was observed at higher concentrations of 150 mM NaCl. In this 1 Corresponding author: saadalidaudpota34@yahoo.com