Determination of Salt Tolerance of Safflower Varieties (Carthamus tinctorius L.) During Germination and Early Seedling Growth

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of NaCl concentrations on germination ratio, shoot length,shoot fresh and dry weight of some safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivars and line in 2010. Seeds of Shifa and Remzibey cultivars and TAEK-USLU line were used as material. Seven different doses (0,5 %, 0,7 %, 1 %, 2 %, 3 % and 4 %) of NaCl solutions were used in this experiment. Distilled water served as control. Germination percentage (%), shoot length (cm), shoot fresh and dry weight (mg) were measured at 14 days after sowing. Germination percentage decreased with increased NaCl concentration. All cultivars and line germinated in all salinities, with the exception of 4 % NaCI. The greatest germination percentage at 0 % NaCI was 98,67 % for Remzibey cultivar. The lowest germination percentage at 4 % NaCI was 0 % for Remzibey, Shifa cultivars and TAEK-USLU line. The greatest shoot length at 0 % NaCI was 8,15 cm for Shifa cultivar. The lowest shoot length at 3 and 4% NaCl was 0 cm for Remzibey, Shifa cultivars and TAEK-USLU line. The greatest shoot fresh and dry weight (mg) at 0 % NaCI was 180,33 mg and 25,33 mg for Shifa cultivar, respectively. The lowest fresh and dry weight (mg) at 3 and 4 % was 0 mg and 0 mg for Remzibey, Shifa cultivars and TAEK-USLU line, respectively. As a result Shifa cultivars can be useful as a genetic resources for the development of safflower cultivars with improved germination under salt stress.