Germinative energy, germinating ability and seed germination biometrics of soft winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in different acidity aqueous medium

Background. Acidic soils account for about 50% of all cultivated lands in the world. The yield of wheat grain can increase up to 50% with a decrease in acidity from 4.9 to 6.2. In this regard it is relevant to assess the varietal reaction of winter wheat seed germs to changes in the acidity level of the growing environment. Purpose. The study was aimed to evaluate the acidity (рН=5, рН=7, рН=9) effect of the aqueous medium on changes in germinative energy, germinating ability and biometrics of wheat germs of varieties and promising lines of soft winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Materials and methods. The researches were carried out in the conditions of a laboratory experiment (n=6). The object of the research was seed grain of varieties and promising lines of soft winter wheat. The wheat seeds were germinated according to All-Union State Standard 12038-84. The effect of three acidity levels of the aqueous medium was studied: pH=7 (neutral) – control, pH=5 (acidic), pH=9 (alkaline). The change in the water acidity was carried out by electrolysis using an ionizer "IVA-II". Results. In the early stages of organogenesis the varietal reaction of Triticum aestivum to the acidity affected seed germination insignificant (V˂5.5%). The mean reaction of the varieties to changes in the acidity was recorded on the length of germs and central roots on the 7th day. The highest germ length of the varieties on average (11.39±0.66 cm) and the central root length (9.48±0.99 cm) were observed in the variants with a neutral medium. Primordial roots reduced crude biomass in an aqueous medium by 42.3-48.6%. Such varieties as Angelina, Rubezhnaya, Mera, STRG 806015, EN Cepheus, EN Photon and the promising line Erythrosperum 69/21 showed the highest acid resistance (V=2.6-8.6%) by germ weight. Conclusion. It has been found that varieties and promising lines of the Triticum aestivum species prefer a neutral and alkaline reaction of the growing medium (pH= 7 and 9), and an acidic medium (pH=5) causes slowing down growth intensity and decreasing the mass of germs and embryo roots. EDN: WBRGIR