The Effect of Salt Stress on the Germination and Seedling Growth Parameters in Sorghum×Sudangrass

In this study the seeds were germinated at 20 ± 1 ° C in the petri dishes, which was aimed to determine the effect of different salt doses to germination and seedling growth in a Sorghum×Sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor×Sorghum sudanense) cultivar called ‘‘greengo’’. Sixteen different salt doses (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300 mM NaCl) were applied to the petri dishes. The experiment was established in randomized plots experimental design with 10 replications. In the study, germination rate (%), number of days of germination (days), length of radicle and plumula (cm), fresh and dry weights (g) of radicle and plumula were determined. Since the germination rate data were not homogeneous, they were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis and for comparison the Dunn test was used. Other parameters showing homogeneity were analyzed in randomized plot design and the means were compared by Tukey multiple comparison test. It was determined that all of the parameters examined in the statistical analysis were effected significantly by salt application. When all of the examined parameters were evaluated together, it was concluded that the greengo cultivar which belong to Sorghum×Sudangrass can tolerate salt application up to a dose of 220 mM NaCl (between 0-200 mM) in terms of germination and seedling growth