Open AccessGermination and vigour in genotypes of forage sorghum at different levels of water and salt stress
Author(s) -
Luma Rayane de Lima Nunes,
Miller Clementino Cruz,
Charles Lobo Pinheiro,
Geocleber Gomes de Sousa,
Alek Sandro Dutra
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
semina. ciências agrárias
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.268
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1679-0359
pISSN - 1676-546X
DOI - 10.5433/1679-0359.2020v41n5supl1p1975
Subject(s) - germination , salinity , distilled water , shoot , agronomy , sorghum , seedling , forage , sweet sorghum , horticulture , cultivar , osmotic pressure , biology , chemistry , botany , ecology , chromatography
Salinity and water deficiency are abiotic factors which have a strong impact on agricultural activities, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The aim of this research was to analyse the tolerance of two genotypes of forage sorghum, EA 116 and BRS Ponta Negra, to different levels of water and salt stress during germination. The conditions of water and salt stress were simulated by moistening the substrate with a solution of mannitol and of sodium chloride (NaCl) respectively, with the water potential adjusted to 0 (distilled water), -0.1, -0.2, -0.3, -0.4, -0.5 and -0.6 MPa. The variables under analysis were germination percentage, first count, germination speed index, shoot and root length, seedling dry weight, electrolyte leakage and leaf Na+/K+ ratio. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomised design, and distributed in a 2 (genotypes) × 2 (stress condition) × 7 (osmotic potential) factorial scheme, with four replications. The EA 116 and BRS Ponta Negra genotypes show greater tolerance to water stress. The EA 116 cultivar maintained germination under water stress from 0 to -0.6 MPa and saline stress from 0 to -0.4 MPa.