Agronomy journal, Vol. 79 No. 3, 2017.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.33128/ag.79.3.2
WHEAT GERMINATION AND SEEDLINGS UNDER PEG-INDUCED CONDITONS
Valentina Španić
orcid.org/0000-0002-7684-5419
; Agricultural Institute Osijek, Južno predgrađe 17, 31 103 Osijek, Croatia
Maja Ižaković
; Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Tihana Marček
; Faculty of Food Technology Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
Climate changes are causing frequent drought which leads to shortage of water, reducing wheat production worldwide. The three winter wheat genotypes were examined for their response to drought at the germination and seedling stage. Research was carried out under controlled conditions where polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) was used in 20% concentration to create artificial drought stress. The results revealed that genotype ’Vulkan’ showed maximum germination percentage (85%) in control while the minimum germination percentage was observed in ‘Žitarka’ (43%) under PEG treatment. At control level seed germination percentage was the higher in all three genotypes compared to drought treatment. ‘Vulkan’ had the highest shoot length in control plants (14.18 cm) which was significantly reduced in PEG treatment (6.93 cm). Maximum fresh weight of shoots was recorded in ‘Vulkan’ (1.53 g) followed by ‘Antonija’ (1.23 g) in control treatment. Under control conditions, genotype ‘Antonija’ showed maximum root length in control and PEG treatment (14.52 and 12.46 cm, respectively) among other genotypes, followed by ‘Vulkan’ in control treatment (9.88 cm), while minimum root length was observed in ‘Zitarka’ in PEG treatment (6.52 cm). The root fresh weight values were decreased with increasing water stress in two wheat genotypes (‘Zitarka’ and ‘Antonija’), while in ‘Vulkan’ it was increased. Root dry weight decrease was only observed in ‘Zitarka’.
Keywords
wheat; germination; seedlings; PEG
Hrčak ID:
193351
URI
Publication date:
30.1.2018.
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