Effects of Seaweed Applications on Germination Rate and Speed of Carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus) Seeds under Salt Stress

In this study, the effects of commercial seaweed extract (Maxicrop®) applications on germination percentage, germination index, and germination time of carrot seeds were investigated under different salt concentrations in laboratory conditions using Petri dishes. The experiments were conducted with 16 different combinations of 4 salt doses (T1: 0 mM, T2: 50 mM, T3: 100 mM, T4: 150 mM) and 4 seaweed extract doses (D1: 0, D2: 1:250, D3: 1:500, D4: 1:1000) in three replicates. According to the results, seaweed extract applications increased germination percentage and shortened germination time. The highest germination percentage was observed in the combinations T2D4 (45.18%) and T2D1 (45.00%), while the lowest was in T4D1 (36.61%). The germination index reached its highest value in the T1D1 (20.80) combination, while the lowest was recorded in T4D1 (7.42). In terms of germination time, the shortest time was observed in T1D1 (1.50 days), and the longest in T4D1 (3.70 days). Increased salt concentration negatively affected germination performance, whereas seaweed extract partially alleviated these effects. It was determined that seaweed applications supported seed metabolism and improved germination under stress conditions through an osmotic priming effect. These findings highlight the positive effects of seaweed-based products on seed germination and support their potential use in agricultural practices.