Effects of different salt stress concentrations on germination and baby leaf plant development of chard varieties

In this study, the effects of different salt stress concentrations on the germination and baby leaf development of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) varieties were investigated. Swiss Chard and Pink Lipstick varieties were used as plant materials. The research was conducted in two stages: in the first stage, germination trials were carried out under 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl concentrations; parameters such as germination percentage, mean germination time, germination rate, and uniformity were evaluated. Based on the best-performing treatments, baby leaf production was conducted in the second stage, and morphological and physiological measurements including plant height, leaf number, fresh and dry weight, visual stress scale, ion leakage, leaf water content, and salt tolerance index were performed. The findings revealed that salt stress significantly affected the germination and growth parameters of Swiss chard varieties. Additionally, different tolerance levels to salt stress were observed among the varieties. This study aims to contribute to the identification of salt stress-resistant genotypes in Swiss chard and the development of appropriate seed pre-treatment methods. Keywords: Baby leaf development, Salt stress levels, Seed germination, Swiss chard cultivars