How Salinity Affect Emergence of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Cultivars?

Abstract

Salinity has been a major problem for world agriculture in recent years, limiting plant production. This study was carried out to determine the effect of salt stress on seedling emergence parameters of Dadaş and Helen garden cress cultivars. Three doses (S0: 0 mM NaCl (control), S1: 30 mM NaCl and S2: 60 mM NaCl) of salinity level were applied as irrigation and their effects on seedling emergence (emergence percentage, emergence speed, mean emergence time, mean daily emergence, peak value and emergence value) were investigated. In the study, there were generally significant decreases in the emergence parameters of both cultivars with increasing salt level. It was observed that the emergence parameters of Dadaş cultivar were not affected much under 30 mM salt, but there were significant decreases in emergence parameters at 60 mM salt level. It was determined that Helen cultivar was more sensitive to salt stress and its emergence parameters decreased significantly even at the lowest salt level (S1:30 mM). The findings of the study showed that the emergence percentage, mean daily emergence, peak value and emergence values of Dadaş variety were higher than Helen variety in all salinity levels. In addition, Dadaş garden cress was the variety with mean emergence time. In conclusion, there were significant differences between cultivars and cultivars under salt stress, and Dadaş cultivar more resistance to salinity stress during emergence than the Helen cultivar. In order to obtain a clear idea about the salt resistance of these cultivars, it is necessary to determine the response to salt stress during plant development.