Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MSc student, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
2 PhD student, Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
In order to investigate the germination factors of two improved cultivars and one Iranian landrace of cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) under salt stress conditions a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with two factors in three replications was conducted at experimental laboratory of department of horticulture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2009. The main factor included two improved cultivars of cornflower (Ball blue and Ball junge) and one Iranian landrace and second factor included seven salinity levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 milli molar NaCl). Measured characteristics were germination percentage, germination velocity, vigor index, radicle and plumule length. According to the results of ANOVA, different levels of salt stress had significant effects on all measured characteristics while the effect of cultivar type was only significant on germination percentage, germination velocity and vigor index. The interaction between salinity and cultivar type had significant effect on all measured characteristics. The results showed that with increase in salinity level, all measured characteristics were significantly decreased. The most germination percentage and germination velocity (51.04 percent and 11.82 seed/day respectively) were obtained from Ball blue in control treatment and the lowest (9.32 percent and 0.5 seed/day respectively) was obtained from Iranian landrace and Ball junge cultivar in 300 mili molar NaCl. Decrease of plumule length was more than that of radicle length under salinity stress. In this study, improved cultivars of cornflower and Iranian landrace showed different responses to salt stress due to the diversity in their genotypes. Generally, Ball blue was identified as the most salt tolerance cultivar in germination stage.
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