Effect of Gibberellic acid (GA3) on Germination and Seedlings Growth of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under Salt Stress Conditions

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most important non-communicable pathogens affecting on plants growth, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, which lead to the lack to a severe shortage of production, the aim of the research was to study the effect of gibberellic acid soaking on seed germination and seedling growth of tomato under salt stress conditions. where The effect of the treatment was studied with different concentrations of sodium chloride salt (0,25,50,75,100,150,200 mM), and the effect of soaking the seeds with different concentrations of gibberellic hormone  (0,25,50,100,150,200) ppm for 24 hours and the effect of the interaction between the gibberellic hormone and salt concentrations on (germination percentage, germination rate, length of Shoot and root, seedling fresh and dry weights). The results showed a significant decrease in the germination percentage, germination rate, length of Shoot and root, and seedling fresh and dry weights increased salinity concentration and the absence of germination in the final high concentrations of salt, and the soaking seeds with hormone to significantly improve the germination percentage, germination rate and other measurements was under conditions of salt stress. The results ssuggest that role of gibberellic acid in alleviated the adverse effect of salinity on germination and seedling growth of tomato.

Keywords: Tomato, Salt stress, Gibberellic acid (GA3), Germinatian percentage.