Seed Treatment to Overcome Salt and Drought Stresses during Germination in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Tolerance to salt (NaCl) and drought conditions of treated seeds (control, osmopriming andhydropriming) of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotype was evaluated at germination stageinduced by PEG-6000 at the same water potentials of zero, -2, -4 bar, which electricalconductivity (EC) value of the NaCl solutions were zero, 40, 80 mM. The results showed thatincreasing drought caused a reduction in germination percentage and rate, root and shootlength and dry weight of flax genotype. Salinity stress significantly reduces germination rateand also root and shoot lengths of flax seeds. Hydropriming and osmopriming significantlyincreased germination rate, root length and shoot/root ration of flax seeds in both experiments.However, germination percentage significantly increased only in hydropriming treatment indrought experiment. Root dry weight increased in hydropriming and osmopriming treatment,only in drought experiment. Hydropriming and osmopriming could be used to improvedtolerance in salinity and drought stresses in flax by less reduce in root and shoot lengths.

Seed Treatment to Overcome Salt and Drought Stresses during Germination in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) Keywords:

Linseed , Salt stress , Water stress , Seed treatment , Germination