Determining the effect of drought stress on poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seed germination

Papaver somniferum L. (poppy) plant is one of the medicinal and aromatic plants belonging to the Papaveraceae family. The morphine contained in it is a highly significant compound in medicine. Global warming and the resulting climate change, which causes drought, are significant issues for the poppy plant, as they are for all agricultural crops. This study examines the effects of drought stress on the germination of poppy seeds. The experiment was conducted in 2024 in the Field Crops Department Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture at Düzce University, with a randomized block design and three replications. To apply drought stress to the poppy seeds, polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) was used at four different concentrations (15, 30, 45, 60 g/L), and the results were compared with the control factor. In the experiment, no statistically significant differences were observed in the average germination percentage. However, statistically significant differences were found in terms of shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, germination index, shoot length, mean germination time, and germination stress tolerance index. It was observed that all values decreased as drought stress increased.