Changes in electrical conductance of leachates from wheat seeds pretreated in water and sodium chloride

Abstract

Wheat seeds of two different cultivars viz., Inqalab and Pasban, pretreated in water for 2, 6, 16 and 24 hours or 5, 10, 20, 30% concentration of NaCl solution for 2 days were used for studying the changes in electrical conductance of their leachates. Seeds pretreated in water for upto 24 hours showed 97-99% germination with 35-75% reduction in germination in NaCl pretreated seeds. After one year storage, 2 and 6 hours pretreated seeds showed decreased germination and 16 and 24 hours pretreated seeds did not germinate. However, salt treatment at all its concentrations had little effect in further loss in seed germination in one year old seeds. Electrical conductance (E.C.) of leachates of the pretreated seeds during the initial six hours of start of imbibition did not prove a good method for the determination of germinability of seeds before or after one year of storage. Instead of E.C. measurements, nature of electrolytes effluxed during imbibition might be indicator of the germinability status of wheat seeds.