Evaluation of Two Wheat Varieties for Phytotoxic Effect of Mercury on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth

Abstract

Summary Two varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum var. Blue Silver and T. aestivum var. Punjab 85) were tested for the phytotoxic eff ect of mercury on seed germination and seedling growth. Seed were treated with 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm of HgCl 2 solution. Both varieties showed enhanced seed germination at all levels of mercury compared to untreated control. However, shoot, root, and seedling length was signifi cantly (P<0.05) reduced in both wheat varieties at all the levels of mercury treatments particularly at 100 ppm of mercury. Th e highest reduction was observed in root length rather than shoot and seedling length. Th e tolerance indices for both varieties showed that that var. Blue Silver was more tolerant to mercury toxicity than var. Punjab 85.