Resistance to salinity stress and available water levels at the seedling stage of the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.)

Abstract

This research was carried out in the Field Crop Department, Tekirda Agriculture Faculty, and Plant Breeding Application and Research Centre, Trakya University, Turkey. The response of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) seedlings to salt and available water level tolerance were compared for its water retention capability and the dry matter of shoots, root and shoot weights after 2 h incubation at 30°C and 1 h incubation at 105°C under the conditions of absence, as well as the presence of various levels of salinity and available water. Germination was not affected by the salinity and available water treatments. 1.35 dS/m salinity water treatment resulted in increasing the fresh weights of its shoot (1.179 g) and root (0.580 g), weights after 2 h incubation at 30°C (shoot: 0.0456 and root: 0.0325 g) and 1 h incubation at 105°C (shoot: 0.0104 g and root: 0.0073 g), water retention capability (0.0123 g) and dry matter (0.0236 g) of the shoot in seedlings. The highest fresh weight (root: 0.567 g and shoot: 1.113 g) and water retention capability (0.0112 g) were determined from capacity of the field.