Influence of Seed Hardening Treatments on Germination and Seedling Behavior of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Varieties under Salinity Stress

LABORATORY experiments were carried out to study the effectof some seed hardening treatments (polyethylene glycol (PEG -6bar), humic acid 1%, seawater 2000 ppm, seawater 2000 ppmR, tapwater and untreated seeds as a control) on germination and seedlinggrowth of six sugar beet varieties. These varieties namely Soultan,Kawmira, Ras poly, Tenor, FD9901 and FD9902. Germination andseedling growth traits (germination percentage, germination rate,seedling length (cm), seedling fresh weight (mg) and seedling vigor)were determined. Results showed that all germination traits were
significantly affected by the studied mitigation treatments, sugar beetvarieties and their interaction. The highest values of germination %,as an average of all tested varieties were recorded with polyethyleneglycol (P.E.G -6 Bar) followed by that of humic acid 1% and seawater 2000 ppmR . Enhancement percentages in germination andseedling growth traits were greater with all seed priming treatmentscompared to the control treatment (untreated seeds). The highest mean
values of germination rate, seedling length (cm), seedling freshweight (mg) and seedling vigor were recorded with humic acidtreatment, while the lowest values of the above traits were recordedwith the control treatment (untreated seeds). Kawmira and Soultan asthe highly salt tolerant varieties recorded the highest values ingermination and seedling growth traits. On the contrary the varietiesFD9901 and FD9902 recorded the lowest values. The highestenhancement effect in germination percentages and seedling vigorwere recorded with the two sensitive varieties FD9901 and FD9902
(at P.E.G (-6 bar), humic acid and S.W. 2000 ppmR.). On the contrarythe lowest enhancement effect were recorded with the two highly salttolerant varieties Kawmira and soultan.