Drought and salinity are limiting factors for better plant performance and higher yield. This study was focused on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and salinity effects on two cultivars of lentils and for this two separated experiments were performed in laboratory. The seeds of two different genotypes of lentil (Eston, a commercial variety and Ustica, a landrace native of a small island in southern Italy) were exposed to five level of drought treatment (0, 10, 15, 18, 21% PEG-6000) or to different concentrations of diverse salts ( 0, 50, 100 200 and 300 mM KCl, NaCl, CaCl2) and the response was evaluated in terms of germination index and seedling growth and antioxidative enzymes, after 24, 48 and 72 hours of treatment. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences between cultivars and due to drought and salinity stress levels. Water and salinity increases caused significant reductions in seed germination, root length and RWC in both cultivars but they depended on kind of stress and cultivar considered. The cultivar, Eston was more resistant to drought stress, but more sensitive to salinity, in particular to NaCl. The activity of the enzymes involved in the detoxification process increased in Eston mainly in presence of NaCl. On the contrary, Ustica genotype was more resistant to high salinity, in particular to NaCl salt. The results showed that the effects of PEG 6000 on seed germination affected negatively more Ustica than Eston cultivar. In conclusion, in this study we have identified one genotype drought resistant but not salt tolerant and one landrace tolerant to NaCl salinity. Identifying drought and salt resistant cultivars of lentil at different growth stages is essential to cultivate the crop in arid and semiarid environments were the survival of other species is difficult and also to utilize the identified resistance traits of these two different genotypes in breeding programs to improve the resistance of other cultivars.
Evaluation of drought and salinity stress effects on germination and early growth of two cultivars of lentil
Muscolo A;PANUCCIO, Maria Rosaria;
2012-01-01
Abstract
Drought and salinity are limiting factors for better plant performance and higher yield. This study was focused on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and salinity effects on two cultivars of lentils and for this two separated experiments were performed in laboratory. The seeds of two different genotypes of lentil (Eston, a commercial variety and Ustica, a landrace native of a small island in southern Italy) were exposed to five level of drought treatment (0, 10, 15, 18, 21% PEG-6000) or to different concentrations of diverse salts ( 0, 50, 100 200 and 300 mM KCl, NaCl, CaCl2) and the response was evaluated in terms of germination index and seedling growth and antioxidative enzymes, after 24, 48 and 72 hours of treatment. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences between cultivars and due to drought and salinity stress levels. Water and salinity increases caused significant reductions in seed germination, root length and RWC in both cultivars but they depended on kind of stress and cultivar considered. The cultivar, Eston was more resistant to drought stress, but more sensitive to salinity, in particular to NaCl. The activity of the enzymes involved in the detoxification process increased in Eston mainly in presence of NaCl. On the contrary, Ustica genotype was more resistant to high salinity, in particular to NaCl salt. The results showed that the effects of PEG 6000 on seed germination affected negatively more Ustica than Eston cultivar. In conclusion, in this study we have identified one genotype drought resistant but not salt tolerant and one landrace tolerant to NaCl salinity. Identifying drought and salt resistant cultivars of lentil at different growth stages is essential to cultivate the crop in arid and semiarid environments were the survival of other species is difficult and also to utilize the identified resistance traits of these two different genotypes in breeding programs to improve the resistance of other cultivars.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
