The Effects of Chitosan Applications on Seed Germing and Early Seedling Period of Red Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Under Salty Conditions

Salinity is a global problem and can significantly reduce agricultural productivity and cause negative effects on plant growth. Chitosan is a natural biopolymer and is known to have plant growth promoting and stress reducing properties. This study aimed to determine the effect of chitosan applications on seed germination and early seedling growth in red beet under saline conditions. In the experiment, seeds of red beetroot were soaked in chitosan and pure water at concentrations of 100-200-300 ppm for one hour. Then the seeds were allowed to dry for 24 hours and germinated at 22/24°C at 100 mM salt concentration for 10 days. In the study, various growth parameters such as seed germination rate, velocity and vigour as well as root and shoot length were determined. At the end of the experiment, it was found that hydropriming and chitosan treatments significantly improved the parameters observed in red beet seeds compared to the control. In particular, 300 ppm chitosan dose was effective on germination parameters, while 200 ppm chitosan dose was the most effective in reducing the negative effects of salt and increasing the growth parameters compared to control and hydropriming. These findings suggest that chitosan can be used as a potential growth promoter and protective agent for plants exposed to salt stress.