Physiological and Cytogenetical Effects of Glutamine Treatment in Onion (Allium cepa L.) Seeds Exposed to Salt Stress

Kürşat Çavuşoğlu, Duygu Toğay, Dilek Çavuşoğlu

Abstract: The effects of glutamine on the seed germination, seedling growth (radicle lenght, radicle number and fresh weight), mitotic index and chromosome aberrations of Allium cepa L. germinated under saline conditions were examined in this study. Salt stress markedly inhibited the seed germination and seedling growth of A. cepa. Moreover, it reduced the mitotic index in the root-meristem cells of the seeds and fairly increased the number of chromosome aberrations. On the other, the inhibitive effect of salt stress on the seed germination, radicle lenght, fresh weight and chromosome aberrations was significantly decreased with glutamine application. However, this amino acid was ineffective in reducing of salt damage on the radicle number and mitotic index.

Keywords: cytogenetically parameters; glutamine; onion; physiological parameters; salt stress

Date published: 2020-03-10