EFFECT OF SALT STRESS ON RICE SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDING GROWTH

PURPOSE: the purpose of the study was to analyse the influence of different NaCl concentrations on germination and seedling parameters in three rice cultivars belong to species Oriza sativa L. - Osmanchik 97, Kameo and Luna. METHODS: six NaCl salt concentrations were studied (low concentrations: 25 mM and 50 mM NaCl solutions, medium concentrations: 75 mM and 100 mM NaCl solutions and high concentrations: 125 mM and 150 mM NaCl solutions). Germination data and seedling parameters were recorded. RESULTS: The application of salt concentrations between 25 and 150 had no significant effect on seed germination, while suppressive effect on seedling characteristics. At 150 mM NaCl mean germination time ranged from 2.10 days (for Osmanchik 97) to 3.15 days (for Kameo), mean ShL ranged from 3.65 cm for Kameo to 5.33 cm for Osmanchik 97. With increasing concentrations of NaCl vigor index decreased from 2043 for Osmanchik 97 (control) to 1050.24 for the variety Kameo. CONCLUSION: At 150 mM NaCl concentrations, the studied varieties showed very high salt tolerance to seed germination, high salt tolerance to root growth and medium salt tolerance to shoot growth. Тhe study confirmed that rice cultivars at the stage of seed germination are more tolerant to salinity than at the early seedling stage.