Response of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) Ecotypes to Drought Stress during Germination Stage at Low Temperature

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• E Boroumand Rezazadeh ¹
• A Nezami ²
• Z Khorasani ³
• M Khajeh Hosseini ²

¹ PhD. in Crop Ecology, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

³ MSc. in Agronomy, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/jcesc.2020.38273

Abstract

Introduction
 Cumin is one of the most important medicinal plants in Iran and is widely used in food, health and beauty industries due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Yield of some crops are higher in autumn planting compared to spring. However, low temperature and inappropriate distribution of precipitation are of factors affecting seedling emergence and establishment. So it seems that seeds with higher germination also have better emergence and establishment producing more vigorous seedlings in further growth stages. So, to success in autumn-planting of cumin, it is necessary to have ecotypes with appropriate and even emergence in low temperature and water restricted conditions. Since water is of high paramount importance in germination and lower water potentials lead to lower accessibility of water to seeds, the aim of this experiment was to study seed germination response of different cumin ecotypes to low water potentials.
Materials and Methods
This study was conducted to determine the germination of six cumin ecotypes under drought stress and low temperature conditions. Treatments comprised of six cumin ecotypes (Torbat-e-Heydarieh, Khaf, Sabzevar, Qaen, Quchan and RZ19) and seven water potentials (0, -1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6 bar) induced by  PEG6000 solution according to Michel B. E. and Kaufmann (1973). Distilled water was used for control. Seeds were disinfected by sodium hypochlorite (10%) and fungicide and were rinsed with distilled water. 25 seeds were placed in each petri dish and were incubated in 13°C after PEG solution or distilled water was added. Germinated seeds were recorded daily and germination percentage and rate, plumule and radicle length was determined at the end of the incubation. Ecotype ranking was also performed to determine the most tolerant ecotypes to drought stress. Statistical analysis was done using MSTAT-C and LSD test was used for mean comparison.
Results and Discussion
This study results indicated that water potentials was significantly affected all studied traits (p<0.05) in a way that germination percentage and rate and plumule and radicle length decreased as water potential decreased to -6 bar. Maximum germination percentages (61%) was obtained in control. Significant differences were also found among cumin ecotypes for all traits. Khaf and Torbat-e-Heydarieh had the highest germination percentage (25% and 23%, respectively). Decreasing water potential from 0 to the -2 bar, caused 69% decrease in germination percentage of Quchan ecotype whereas reduction of 43% and 57% was found in Qaen and Sabzevar ecotypes, respectively. Difference in germination percentage among genotypes may be due to the different water absorption by them. Ecotypes had different germination rate in water potentials (P≤0.01). Although germination rate was negatively affected by decreasing water potential, percentage of reduction was different among ecotypes in a way that Torbat-e-Heydarieh and Khaf showed the lowest (61 and 67%) and Quchan and RZ19 the highest reduction of germination rate (86%) in -4 bar compared to control (0 bar). Plumule and radical length were decreased as drought stress was increased . Decreasing water potential from 0 o -4 bar caused a 76% reduction in radical length. Significant difference was found among ecotypes according to radical length in a way that Khaf and Quchan had the highest and lowest radical length, respectively.
Conclusion
On the basis of ecotypes ranking for evaluated traits, Khaf and Torbat-e-Heydarieh indicated more tolerance to drought stress whereas Quchan was found as a sensitive ecotype.

Keywords

• Autumn planting
• Cold
• Plumule
• Radicle

20.1001.1.20081472.1402.21.1.1.7

---

Open Access

©2020 The author(s). This article is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source.

References

1. Abdi, H., Bihamta, M. R., Aziz Ov, E., & Chogan, R. (2014). Investigation effect of drought stress level of PEG 6000 on seed germination principle and its relation with drought tolerance index in promising lines and cultivars of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research, 12(4), 582-596. https://doi.org/10.29252/jcb.9.21.139
2. Alvarado, V., & Bradford, K. (2002). A hydrothermal time model explains the cardinal temperature for seed germination. Plant, Cell and Environment, 25, 1061-1069. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3040.2002.00894.x
3. Amirnia, R., & Ghiyasi, M. (2016). Reducing drought stress effects in germination and establishment stage of cumin (Cuminum Cyminum) by seed priming. Journal of Applied Biological Sciences, 10(3), 24-26.
4. Andalibi, B., Zangani, E., & Hagh Nazari. (2005). Effects of water stress on germination indices in six rapeseed cultivars (Brassica napus). Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 36(2), 457-463.
5. Boroumand Rezazadeh, Z., & Koocheki, A. (2005). Germination response of ajowan, fennel and dill to osmotic potential of sodium chloride and polyethylene glycol 6000 in different temperature regimes. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research, 3(2), 207-218. https://doi.org/10.22067/gsc.v3i2.1304
6. Bukhtiar, B., & Shaykra, A. (1995). Drought tolerance in lentil. Differential genotypic response to drought. Journal of Agricultural Research (lahore), 28, 117-126.
7. Emmerich, W. E., & Hardgree, S. P. (1990). Polyethylene glycol solution contact effect on seed germination. Agronomy Journal, 82, 1103-1107. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1990.00021962008200060015x
8. Ganjali, A. R., Ajorlo, M., & Khaksafidi, A. (2017). The Effect of Drought and Salinity Stress on Seed Germination of (Alyssum Homalocarpum). Journal of Crop Breeding, 9(21), 139-146. https://doi.org/10.29252/jcb.9.21.139
9. Ghajari, A. Gh., & Zeinali, E. (2003). Effects of salinity and drought stresses on germination and seedling growth of two cotton cultivars. Seed and Plant, 18(4), 506-509. https://doi.org/10.22092/spij.2017.110760
10. Ghavami, F., Malboobi, M. A., Ghannadha, M. R., Yazdi samadi, B., Mozaffari, J., & Jafar aghaei, M. (2004). An Evaluation of Salt Tolerance in Iranian Wheat Cultivars at Germination and Seedling Stages. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 35(2), 453-464.
11. Jafarnezhad, A., Taheri, G., & Rahchamanie, A. A. (2009). Study of drought tolerance in four wheat genotypes, at germination stage. Environmental Stresses in Agricultural Sciences, 2(1), 73-85. https://doi.org/10.22077/escs.2009.54
12. Jajarmi, V. (2012). Effect of drought stress on germination indices in seven wheat cultivars (T. aestivum). Journal of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, 8(4), 183-192.
13. Jefferies, R. A. (1994). Physiology of crop response to drought. In: Haverkort A.J. and MacKerron D.K.L. (Eds.), Potato ecology and modeling of crop under conditions limiting growth. Kluwer Academic Press. pp. 61-74.
14. Kabiri, R., Farahbakhsh, H., & Nasibi, F. (2012). Effect of drought stress and its interaction with salicylic acid on black cumin (Nigella sativa) germination and seedling growth. World Applied Sciences Journal, 18(4), 520-527. https://doi.org/10.5829/idosi.wasj.2012.18.04.878
15. Kafi, M., Nezami, A., Hosaini, H., & Masomi A. (2005). Physiological effects of drought stress by polyethylene glycol on germination of lentil (Lens culinaris) genotypes. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research, 3(1), 69-80. https://doi.org/10.22067/gsc.v3i1.1293
16. Kafi, M., Rashed Mohassel, M. H., Koocheki, A., & Nassiri, M. (2006). Cumin (Cuminum cyminum): Production and Processing. CRC Press.
17. Lobato, K. S., Oliveira Neto, C. F., Costa, R. C. L., Santos Filho, B. G., F. Silva, K. S., Cruz, F. J. R., Abboud, A. C. S., & Laughinghouse, H. D. (2008). Germination of sorghum under the influences of water restriction and temperature. Agricultural Journal, 3(3), 220-224.
18. Marchner, H. (1995). Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press.
19. Michel, B. E., & Kaufmann, M. R. (1973). The osmotic potential of polyethylene glycol 6000. Plant Physiology, 51, 914-916. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.51.5.914
20. Mut, Z., & Akay, H. (2010). Effect of seed size and drought stress on germination and seedling growth of naked oat (Avena sativa). Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 16, 459-467.
21. Nezami, A.; Khamadi, N., Khajeh hosseini, M., & Bagheri, A. (2010). Evaluation of Drought Tolerance in Cold Hardy Lentils (Lens culinaris) at Germination Stage. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research, 8(1), 138-146. https://doi.org/10.22067/gsc.v8i1.7404
22. Willenborg, C. J., Wildeman, J. C., Miller, A. K., Rossnagel, B. G., & Shirtliffe. S. J. (2005). Oat germination characteristics differ among genotypes, seed size and osmotic potentials. Crop Science, 45, 2023-2029. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2004.0722