Effect of Gibberellic Acid and Silicon at Germination and Seedling Growth of Triticum Aestivum Grown under Salinity

Different abiotic stresses create noticeable changes in plant growth and development and plant under such condition reduced its yield. Different ions and growth regulators are very important and play key role for creation of stress tolerance in plants. This project was proposed to evaluate the performance of gibberellic acid and silicon on germination and seedling establishment stage of wheat under salinity. Experiment was completely randomized design, in which seeds were sown in petri plates, which were irrigated with different concentration of NaCl (control, 50mM and 150mM), GA3 (50ppm and 100ppm), silicon (5mM and 10mM) and combination of silicon and GA3 (50ppm GA3 x 5 mM Si and 100ppmGA3 x 10 mM Si). After 7 days experiment was terminated and shoot length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, vigor index, RWC, RSR, SWR and RWR were measured. Shoot length, root length, Fresh weight and dry weight, Vigor index, RWC, SWR, RWR and different physiological indices were reduced with increasing salt (50mM and 150mM) as compare to control. Result indicated that different concentration of salt significantly increased RSR as compare to control plant. Further investigations revealed that under non-saline conditions application of GA3, silicon, and interactions showed increase in studied parameters except vigor index, RWR which decreased after foliar applications as compare to without GA3 and silicon applied plants. Additionally, under saline conditions foliar applications of GA3, silicon and interactions increase root length, shoot length, fresh and dry weight, RSR, RWR, SWR and stress tolerance indices. Consequently, the results suggested that these chemicals under studied doses can act as an effective strategy to cope up the deleterious effects of salt in wheat at germination and seedling growth stages.