Multivariate analysis of germination ability and tolerance to salinity in Agropyron desertorum genotypes in greenhouse condition

Abstract

Salinity stress is one of the major problems for crop production in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Hence, germination ability and salt stress tolerance of Agropyron desertorum were evaluated using ten genotypes originally collected from different areas of Iran in greenhouse condition. Five different concentrations of NaCl solution were used in this experiment. Analysis of variance showed considerable variation in all the germination attributes under salinity stress. Principal component analysis revealed that first and second components accounted for about 97.6% of the total variation among the traits studied. The first component included root length, plumule length, seedling length and seed vigor and accounted for 62.3% of the total variation among the traits. This component is entitled as the seed germination ability. Hierarchical cluster analysis classified the genotypes in three groups. In conclusion, selection for the higher amount of the traits roots length, plumule length, seedling length and seed vigor can improve the seed germination ability and salinity tolerance in A. desertorum genotypes at the seedling stage in greenhouse condition. Furthermore, crosses between the genotypes classified in the clusters 1 and 3 can cause the broadening of genetic variation and possibility of the efficient selection among the progenies obtained from these crosses.

Key words: Agropyron desertorum, salt stress, biplot analysis, hierarchical cluster, probit analysis, seedling stage.