Comparative effects of plant-derived smoke and potassium nitrate on germination and post-germination parameters of four medicinal species

Abstract

The effect of smoke water and Potassium nitrate on germination and post germination parameters of four medicinal species of the Rosaceae (Sanguisorba minor Scop.), Apiaceae (Pimpinella anisum L.), Lamiaceae (Melissa officinalis L.) and Ranunculaceae (Nigella sativa L.) was tested. Dry seeds were exposed to smoke water (1:500) and KNO3 (150 mM) for 1h. Smoke enhanced some seed germination parameters of the study species. In species of S. minor, germination percentage (GP) and germination speed (GS) was stimulated by 1h of smoke water exposure while in species of P. anisum only GS was enhanced by smoke water. In addition, 1h of smoke water exposure enhanced the post-germination parameters including shoot length (SL), root length (RL), total seedling length (TSL), seedling fresh mass (SFM), vigour index (VI), and germination value (GV) in S. minor and SL, VI, and GV in species of P. anisum. In species of M. officinalis, smoke water enhanced parameters of RL, root/shoot ratio, and SFM. The species of N. sativa no had response to smoke. Potassium nitrate enhanced GS, SL, VI, and GV in P. anisum species, GS, SL, RL, TSL, SFM, VI, and GV in species of M. officinalis and SL in N. sativa. Pearson's correlation coefficients revealed significant relation between response to smoke and Potassium nitrate for germination percentage (0.577, p<0.01), germination speed (0.606, p<0.01), root/shoot ratio (cm) (p<0.01) and germination value (0.429, p<0.05) in the examined species.