Evaluation of onion (Allium cepa L.) accessions for drought tolerance at germination and seedling growth

Urszula Kłosińska

urszula.klosinska@inhort.pl
Pracownia Genetyki i Hodowli Roślin Warzywnych, Instytut Ogrodnictwa, ul. Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96‒100 Skierniewice (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2690-5986

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of water deficiency on germination ability and growth of onion seedlings, and identify promising accessions for use in future breeding programs of new onion varieties with drought tolerance. We evaluated 150 onion lines/cultivars derived from Polish and foreign breeding and seed companies and from the Gene Bank of the Institute of Horticulture in Skierniewice. Experiments were performed under laboratory conditions inducing drought stress by using 18% polyethylene glycol (PEG8000) in the seed germination phase and 10% PEG in the seedling phase. Significant differences in reaction to drought stress were observed among onion accessions, confirmed by the high values of the coefficient of variation (CV) for the assessed parameters: maximum percentage of seedling (56,3%). The received results showed, that water deficiency reduced seed germination the least by 23%, then the root length by 36%, and the fresh weight of seedling and cotyledon length by 52% and 53,5%, respectively. A high correlation (r = 0,81‒0,86) between the features describing the growth of seedlings under drought conditions was found, indicating that water deficit reduced growth of whole seedlings. However, no correlation (r = 0,19‒0,24) between them and germination under drought conditions was observed. Among 150 onion accessions, genotype 171026 showed a high level of drought tolerance, both in seed germination stage and in seedling growth stage.

Supporting Agencies

Badania finansowano ze środków projektu MRiRW: Badania podstawowe na rzecz postępu biologicznego w produkcji roślinnej. Zadanie nr 104.

Keywords:

Allium cepa, polyethylene glycol (PEG), tolerance, water deficit

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Published
2020-12-09

Cited by

Kłosińska, U. (2020) “Evaluation of onion (Allium cepa L.) accessions for drought tolerance at germination and seedling growth”, Bulletin of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, (291), pp. 93–99. doi: 10.37317/biul-2020-PB89.

Authors

Urszula Kłosińska 
urszula.klosinska@inhort.pl
Pracownia Genetyki i Hodowli Roślin Warzywnych, Instytut Ogrodnictwa, ul. Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96‒100 Skierniewice Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2690-5986

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