The determination of gibberellic acid effects on seed germination of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench under salt stress

Abstract

The research was conducted to determine the effect of gibberellic acid pre-treatments on germination of Echinacea purpurea seeds under salt stress. In the study, three different gibberellic acid concentrations (0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm) were pre-treated. Seeds planted in petri dishes were left to germinate after salt applications at 0, 50 and 100 mM (NaCl) concentrations. Responses of echinacea to priming and salt stress treatments were observed on the bases of some growth and viability (radicle and hypocotyl length, radicle fresh and dry weight, hypocotyl fresh and dry weight, germination power, germination speed, mean germination time, germination and sensitivity index) parameters. According to the result of the research; when the salt concentrations increase, the germination and growth parameters of echinacea seeds were inhibited. It was conducted determined that increasing doses of gibberellic acid pre-treatments had significant and positive effects on the germination and growth parameters of echinacea seeds under salt stress conditions. In physiological enhancement of echinacea seeds, the best results were obtained from the 300 ppm GA3+0 mM (control) salt combination.