Seed Treatment to Overcome Salt and Drought Stresses during Germination in Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L)

Tolerance to salt (NaCl) and drought conditions of treated seeds (control, osmopriming and hydropriming) of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) genotype was evaluated at germination stage induced by PEG-6000 at the same water potentials of zero, -2, -4 bar, which electrical conductivity (EC) value of the NaCl solutions were zero, 40, 80 mM. The results showed that increasing drought caused a reduction in germination percentage and rate, root and shoot length and dry weight of flax genotype. Salinity stress significantly reduces germination rate and also root and shoot lengths of flax seeds. Hydropriming and osmopriming significantly increased germination rate, root length and shoot/root ration of flax seeds in both experiments. However, germination percentage significantly increased only in hydropriming treatment in drought experiment. Root dry weight increased in hydropriming and osmopriming treatment, only in drought experiment. Hydropriming and osmopriming could be used to improved tolerance in salinity and drought stresses in flax by less reduce in root and shoot lengths.