Salt stress is a major abiotic factor that affects the growth and yield of crops. The present study was carried out to assess the salt tolerance among the Arka Samrat, Arka Rakshak, YVU-1, S-22, YVU-2, and PKM-OP tomato germplasms using principal component analysis (PCA). Different salt (NaCl) concentrations like control, 0.04 M, 0.12 M, and 0.20 M were selected in order to classify them into sensitive and tolerant tomato germplasms based on 13 parameters. A significant variation was observed among the selected tomato germplasms towards salinity tolerance at the seedling stage. Shoot length, root length, fresh weight, and dry weight parameters of the seedlings were decreased linearly with an increase in the external NaCl concentration. Salinization of plants has shown to reduce K ? content and increase in the Na ? accumulation, Ca 2? , and Catalase activity. Salt stress also increased electrolyte leakage and reduced relative water content of all germplasms. The maximum parameters were less affected in Arka Rakshak and Arka Samrat compared to the remaining germplasms at higher salt stress. The PCA analysis of 13 morphological and physiological variables indicated that Arka Rakshak and Arka Samrat germplasms were salt-tolerant and PKM-OP was susceptible. Thus PCA analysis results are useful for the identification of resistance and sensitive germplasms at the seedling stage.

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Environmental pollution, especially of water bodies, is one of the major problems and it is increased day by day. The contamination of environment with various toxic metals is a serious threat for ecosystem and human health. Industrial effluents may contain toxic metals, harmful volatile compounds and several organic and inorganic compounds such as chromium, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and lead which are directly or indirectly discharged into the environment without adequate treatment. However, tannery industries are the major source of chromium contamination into the environment. Tanneries are typically characterized as pollution intensive industrial complexes which generate widely varying, high-strength wastewaters. The discharge of these toxic effluents has been a major loss from the ecological, social and economic perspective. There are many conventional physiochemical methods available for the removal of heavy metals from the tannery effluents that are highly expensive and require skilled techniques. However, microbial reduction of toxic chromium to non-toxic chromium by chromium resistance microorganism is the most pragmatic approach that offers an economical as well as eco-friendly process. Hence, this study examines the biodegradation of tannery effluent and its impacts on the germination of Oryza sativa seeds.