Effect of selected osmoprotectants (betaine, ectoine and inositol) on germination and initial growth of Triticum aestivum L. under salt stress conditions – model experiment

Climate change and increasing soil degradation are driving the need for new agricultural solutions to support crops. Drought stress and salinity are major problems in fields around the world. A promising method to support plants under osmotic stress conditions is the use of exogenous osmoprotectants. In this study, the effects of three selected osmoprotectants: ectoine (0.25 mM), betaine (25 mM), and inositol (25 mM), on germination and initial growth of spring wheat under salinity (1% NaCl) stress conditions in model experiment on Hoagland medium were determined. Addition of ectoine showed a statistically significant positive effect on wheat root length (increase of 50.4%) under control conditions. The addition of betaine showed a statistically significant positive effect on shoot length (increase of 60.2%) under salt stress conditions. Surprisingly, the addition of the ectoine to the medium resulted in a statistically significant lower fresh weight of wheat seedlings compared to the control under unstressed conditions. The results show that exogenous application of selected osmoprotectants can mitigate the adverse effects of salinity and promote growth of spring wheat, however this topic requires further, more detailed analysis.