Determining the effects of abiotic stress conditions on plant development and flowering on some cyclamen species spreads out naturally in Turkey

This research was carried out to investigate defence mechanisms of some cyclamen species (Cyclamen coum, Cyclamen cilicium and Cyclamen hederifolium) that spreads out naturally in different parts of Anatolia in Turkey which are grown under abiotic stress conditions and it was aimed to determine the effects on physiological and morphological changes for plant development and flowering on cyclamen species. In this research that was carried out between the years 2009-2011, in order to investigate the tolerances of cyclamens to the drought and salt which are grown as a pot plant in greenhouse, different irrigation levels (S1.0, S0.75, S0.50, S0.25) and different levels of salt (K:Kontrol, K+1dS m-1, K+2 dS m-1, K+3 dS m-1) treatments were applied. In this study, the reactions of cyclamen species to the drought and salt stress in terms of plant phenelogy, plant morphology and also physiological growing parameters were investigated. In this context, growing and flowering periods were observed and leaf and flower numbers were determined for each plant. Tuber circumference were measured and also tuber weight and tuber height were obtained. The length of petiole, leaf area, stoma resistance, membran permeability, leaf biomass and leaf relative humidty were also confirmed. Furthermore, in terms of biochemical characteristics, total chlorophyll content, carbohydrate content, lipid peroxidation levels, proline and hydrogen peroxide concentrations were determined.As a result of the research, in view of abiotic stress conditions, cyclamen species reacted differently from each other in terms of plant development and flowering and also for each three cyclamen species, it was detected that drought and salinity conditions prevented the plant development.Key Words : Cyclamen species, abiotic stress, plant development, flowering