Relationship Between Seed Vigour and Suboptimal Temperature-salt Tolerance in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

In pepper, high seed vigour is a precondition for rapid and homogenous field emergence. In this study the non-standard germination conditions (suboptimal temperature and salt stress) were evaluated for their possible use as a vigour test in pepper. 11 pepper cultivars grown widely in Turkey were germinated at solutions containing 0, 85, 170 and 215 mM NaCl (salt stress) for 14 days in 20°C. Seeds of 11 pepper cultivars were also germinated at 14°C (suboptimal temperature). Germination percentage and germination rate were determined during the germination. Germination percentage and germination rate were decreased with the increasing NaCl concentrations and in 14°C compared to the control conditions. Field studies were conducted to determine seed vigour during emergence. Seed vigour was defined as field emergence percentage (FEP). Lower vigour was related to lower field emergence rates of seed samples. Significant positive correlations were determined between FEP and germination percentage and germination rate values under suboptimal temperature and salt stress. The results support the possibility to use suboptimal temperature and salt stresss during germination to determine pepper seed vigour.