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Comparative Effects of NaCl and Polyethylene Glycol on Germination, Emergence and Seedling Growth of Cowpea
Author(s) -
MurilloAmador B.,
LópezAguilar R.,
Kaya C.,
LarrinagaMayoral J.,
FloresHernández A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-037x.2002.00563.x
Subject(s) - seedling , germination , cultivar , peg ratio , vigna , agronomy , biology , horticulture , osmotic pressure , polyethylene glycol , botany , biochemistry , finance , economics
Seeds of Paceño and Cuarenteño cultivars of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) were tested for salt and drought tolerance at germination, seedling emergence and early seedling growth in NaCl and PEG‐8000 solutions of different osmotic potentials (0, −0.2, −0.4, −0.6, and −0.8 MPa). Daily and final germination and emergence percentage, as well as germination and seedling emergence rate, and seedling growth were recorded under controlled conditions. Results showed that germination and emergence rate were delayed by both solutions in both cultivars, with differences between cultivars among growth stages, given that cultivar Cuarenteño, showed a higher germination rate than Paceño in NaCl, but Paceño was less affected by NaCl and PEG solutions at the emergence stage. Sodium chloride had a lesser effect on both cultivars in terms of germination rate, emergence rate and the final germination and emergence percentage than did PEG‐8000. This conclusively proves that the adverse effect of PEG‐8000 on germination, emergence and early seedling growth was due to the osmotic effect rather than the specific ion. Seedling growth was reduced by both stresses, but NaCl usually caused less damage than PEG to cowpea seedlings, suggesting that NaCl and PEG acted through different mechanisms.