Abstract
Gypsophila pilulifera Boiss. & Heldr. is an economically important critically endangered (CR) endemic species of Turkey. This species is a Mediterranean element and type sample is located in square C3 (Antalya). Plants are much more sensitive to abiotic stress factors, especially during germination and seedling development stages. In this study, in vitro germination and seedling growth properties of G. pilulifera Boiss. & Heldr. (Caryophyllaceae) were investigated under salt and drought stress. The seeds were cultured in hormone-free MS media containing increasing doses of NaCl (50, 100, 150, 200 mM) and PEG 6000 (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Germinated seeds were counted every three days for the first week and every day for the second week. The root and hypocotyl length, number of leaves, fresh weight and vigor index of the plants were determined at the end of 21 days. A negative correlation was determined between increased salt and drought stress and all vegetative growth parameters. Although germination was obtained on MS medium with the highest level of drought (20%), there was no germination on MS medium containing 200 mM NaCl. As a result, it was determined that the plant was more sensitive to salinity stress than drought and high salt concentrations inhibited the germination by 100%.
Highlights
In plants faced with abiotic and biotic environmental stresses, especially abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperature affect all stages of growth and development
When the effects of salt and drought doses on germination rate were examined, it was found that stress increased with each dose increase compared to control
Germination occurred in MS medium containing 20% PEG, the highest dose used in drought stress trials, but the germination percentage decreased from 93% to 43%
Summary
In plants faced with abiotic and biotic environmental stresses, especially abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperature affect all stages of growth and development. It was aimed to investigate the in vitro germination and vegetative growth tolerance of G. pilulifera, a Mediterranean element is endemic to Turkey and is in the CR category under drought and salinity stress. In this way, besides contributing to the protection of the natural populations of the species, it would be contributed to determine suitable conditions for the production of this species, which has economic and medicinal value. As a result of climatic and ecological changes, the survival of the species, which is already potentially endangered, will be severely restricted due to possible drought and salinity stress in the future. By researching the production potential of this species against possible stresses and ensuring its production by creating the determined optimum conditions, will be prevented from extinction from nature, and its use in landscaping and medicine will be increased
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