Adaptive performance of carrot varieties to salinity stress: Growth, yield, and seed potential in Bangladesh’s floodplain ecosystem

A study was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University (October 2022–May 2023) to evaluate the impact of NaCl salinity (0–6 dS m − ¹) on four carrot varieties: Prima Agroflora, Brasilia Agroflora, Indian Acoo 75 (PI652410), and Sidur. Using a split-plot design with three replications, salinity levels and varieties significantly influenced growth, root yield, and seed production. Indian Acoo 75 exhibited superior vegetative traits under control conditions, including the highest plant height (76.61 cm), leaf number (10.98), fresh leaf weight (6.27 g), and leaf water content (91.27%). Sidur outperformed others in root traits under control conditions, achieving maximum fresh root weight (119.33 g/plant), root length (13.10 cm), and root diameter (2.67 cm). Brasilia Agroflora recorded the highest seed germination (75.33%) and seed production (11.31 g/plot) under control conditions. Increasing salinity to 6 dS m − ¹ significantly reduced most parameters; root yield declined from 85.22 g/plant (control average) to 55.79 g/plant. The variety × salinity interaction was significant (p < 0.01): Sidur at 0 dS m − ¹ yielded maximum roots (119.33 g/plant), while Prima Agroflora at 6 dS m − ¹ produced minimum roots (39.40 g/plant). Results demonstrate that Indian Acoo 75 and Sidur show relative tolerance to salinity (up to 6 dS m − ¹) for vegetative growth and root yield, respectively, while Brasilia Agroflora is tolerant for seed production. These findings highlight varietal suitability for saline-prone regions of Bangladesh.