Screening of low temperature tolerant tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.)

To find out low temperature tolerant genetic resources, 1000 accessions of tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) were studied through their seed germina tion at 16 degrees C and other related growth parameters. Out of 1000 acces sions 13 were identified with low temperature tolerance. Base temperature o f four selected accessions 1540, 1805, 1852 and 2015 and two cultivars, O-4 and O-9897 were determined as 16.0, 15.5, 17.5, 16.5, 22.5 and 21.5 degree s C respectively. The growth parameters of the accessions grown in pots in a growth chamber at 16 degrees C were recorded. Only the selected accession s emerged on the sixth day after sowing (DAS) where, the cultivars failed t o germinate at that low temperature. The primary root length of 2015 was fo und to be higher than those of other three accessions at all the stages of growth. Maximum shoot length was obtained in 1805 at 35 DAS and highest dry weight/plant was also recorded in 1805.