Abstract:

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a vital cereal group that provides the basic food source for over half of the world's population and almost half of the daily calorie requirement. However, rice is susceptible to salt stress during germination and early seedling development. This study was conducted to determine the effect of different NaCl and CaCl2+ concentrations on rice germination and early seedling development. The Efe variety, commonly grown in our country, was used in the study. The study utilized the Efe variety, commonly grown in our country. Seeds were germinated and irrigated during the seedling and early growth stages using solutions prepared at 7 different NaCl and CaCl+2 concentration levels: 0.38 dS m-1 (T0), 1.5 dS m-1 (T1), 3 dS m-1 (T2), 5 dS m-1 (T3), 7 dS m-1 (T4), 9 dS m-1 (T5), and 11 dS m-1 (T6). The germination rate was examined 5 days after seed planting, while seedling growth parameters and leaf and root mineral contents were examined 15 days after planting. Salt tolerance and vigor index values were calculated. The study was conducted with 3 replications according to the randomized complete block design. Statistically significant differences were observed among the studied traits. The germination rate and early seedling growth traits decreased as the salt concentration increased. Regarding root mineral content, as salinity increased, Na+, K+, and Ca+2 increased while the K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios decreased. Similarly, regarding seedling mineral content, as salinity increased, Na+, K+, and Ca+2 increased while the K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios decreased. These findings indicate that rice plants are sensitive to salt stress during the germination and early seedling growth stages. The analysis showed that the maximum salt concentration for 80% germination was 7 dS m-1 (T3) for the Efe rice variety commonly grown in our country.

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