Effect of Terminal Drought Stress on Germination Characteristics of Stressed Plants of Five Durum Wheat Genotypes

This research was carried out to study the effect of terminal drought stress on characteristics of seed germination and growth parameters of seeds maternal of five durum wheat genotypes. An experiment was conducted in a factorial based on completely randomized design with three replications at Seed Technology Laboratory of Agriculture Faculty of Shahed University in 2016. The factors included irrigation regimes in two levels of seeds produced under optimal irrigation conditions and terminal drought stress on mother plants of durum wheat genotypes including five genotypes: Rabat Arak (domestic), Aria (commercial), Karkheh (commercial), Yavarus (commercial) and Dena (commercial). Results showed that drought stress had significant effects on the studied traits. Seed germination of Aria commercial genotype produced in drought stress was 100%, while declined in other genotypes. Mean comparison of seedling vigor index length and weight in genotypes and drought interactions showed that the highest seedling vigor index length was in seeds of Aria commercial genotypes under normal irrigation (with 432.83) and seeds of Robat Arak domestic genotype under drought stress (with 328.15). Robat Arak domestic genotype (7.23) and Aria commercial (7.33) genotype produced the highest weighted index seedling vigor. Dena commercial genotype in both conditions was the lowest weighted index vigor. In general, it can be concluded that drought stress on mother plant characteristics of studied genotypes reduced germination, seedling growth and seed quality.