The impacts of pullulan soaking on radish seed germination and seedling growth under salt stress.

Abstract

Pullulan can not only provide a source of organic carbon but also has excellent properties. However, current research is mostly limited to the physical properties of the high molecular-weight components of pullulan, and little is known of the application of its low molecular-weight components. This study was designed to explore the impact of the pre-soaking of radish seeds in a pullulan solution on seed germination and subsequent seedling growth under salt stress conditions. Pullulan soaking was found to enhance the germination rates of radish seeds subjected to salt stress, while also enhancing the aboveground growth of radish seedlings. Pullulan soaking resulted in increases in chlorophyll, soluble protein, and soluble sugar concentrations in the leaves of these seedlings, together with greater peroxidase activity and root activity as well as decreases in Na+ and malondialdehyde concentrations. This provides an important reference for the application of pullulan in plant protection.