Germination and Biochemical Parameters of the Triticum aestivum Varieties (Pirsabak and Ata Habib) in Response to NaCl Stress

Abstract

Abiotic stress is an important ecological problem limiting crop growth and productivity of other important substances like Carbohydrates, protein, and Chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’ contents in plants. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of various concentrations of NaCl, 20ppm, 40ppm, 60ppm, 80ppm, 100ppm and non-saline concentration on two varieties, Ata Habib and Pirsabak of Triticum aestivum. Effects of NaCl were observed on Biochemicals contents (Carbohydrates, protein, Chlorophyll a and b) and germination percentage, seedling shoot length, seedling root length, seedling fresh and dry biomass, root numbering and leaf numbering. The result showed that germination and seedling growth reduced with the increasing concentration of NaCl while total carbohydrates and chl ‘a’ and ‘b’ increased with increasing salt application on both varieties but protein contents decrease significantly on a high level of sodium chloride. The overall comparison of both varieties in morphologically and biochemically parameters under sodium chloride showed that Pirsabak was more affected by NaCl compared to Ata Habib indicating that the species can tolerate NaCl laden soils. We recommend that the experiment be repeated with more varieties of Triticum aestivum under field conditions to compare results and to obtain more NaCl tolerant varieties.