Salinity Effects On Germination Stage of Bread and Durum Wheat Cultivars

In this study 5 salt concentrations (3.5, 7.0, 10.5, 14.0 and 17.5 dS m) and tap water (0.3 dS m ) as control were used to determine the effects of salinity on germination stage of 5 bread wheat (Golia, Gonen, Koksal - 2000, Pehlivan and Sagittario) and 3 durum wheat cultivars (Altintas - 95, Gediz - 75 and Pinar - 2001) in the laboratory of the Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uludag. The experiment was carried out as randomized plots design with two factors and three replications. Water uptake, root lenght and shoot lenght, dry weight of shoot, dry weight of root, germination percentage, the reduction percentage of emergence and salt tolerance index decreased significantly depend on increasing salt concentration. As a result of resistance to salt for investigated genotypes under in vitro conditions, among the bread wheat cultivars, Koksal - 2000 and Sagittario were resistant for the other genotypes and Gediz - 75 and Pinar - 2001 with the highest tolerance was being investigated in durum wheat genotypes. Correlation analysis indicated significant relationships between salt concentration and all investigated parameters. Further study is required to see the effect of salt stress on germination of these genotypes under field conditions.