A Pot culture experiment was conducted at Grape Research Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad to study the variability in salt tolerance of grape rootstocks (viz., Dogridge, Salt Creek, RS-19, SO4 and 1613-C) to different chloride salts viz., NaCl, KCl, MgCl2 and CaCl2 salts). The experiment was laid out in a FCRBD with three replications. The relative salt tolerance was assessed based on growth parameters, dry weight of root to shoot ratio and also on the ability of rootstocks to limit uptake of Na and Cl ions. The Cl salts associated with divalent cations MgCl2 and CaCl2 treatments recorded the higher number of average roots, leaves, length of longest root, dry weight of roots per plant and also dry weight of root to shoot ratio when compared to those associated with monovalent cations KCl and NaCl. Among the rootstocks tested significantly highest root growth parameters measured in terms of root number (59.79), length (42.9cm) and dry weight (24.51g) and also dry weight of root to shoot ratio (0.6) was recorded in Dogridge. There was significant difference among rootstocks in their cationic composition with application of different Cl salts. Concentration of Na+ was lower (0.06%) in 1613-C and SO4 where as higher Na+ content in leaf was observed in Salt Creek (0.10%) which was on par with Dogridge (0.09%) and RS-19 (0.08%). The highest K content in leaf was recorded with RS-19 (1.84%) which was on par with Dogridge (1.69%) and Salt Creek (1.69%). The SO4 (1.95%) recorded highest Ca content in leaf which was on par with 1613-C (1.81%) and RS-19 (1.79%). With regards to Mg content there was no significant difference among rootstocks. High chloride exclusion ability represents the salt tolerance. Significantly lowest chloride content was recorded with Dogridge (0.87%) rootstock whereas the highest chloride content was recorded with Salt Creek (1.14%) and was on par with other rootstocks. The application of CaCl2, MgCl2 and KCl salts did not have significant influence the uptake of Na+ ion. The Cl accumulation in leaf was significantly higher when applied in the form of NaCl followed by KCl and it was significantly lower when applied in the form of CaCl2 and MgCl2 salt. The order of tolerance to chloride salts by grape rootstocks was in of the order CaCl2 >MgCl2 > KCl >NaCl salts. Therefore based on low Cl- content in leaves, high dry weight of root shoot ratio and high vigour Dogridge is more tolerant to salinity than other rootstocks studied.

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