Effect of middle level microwave energy on germination and some physiological parameters of wheat

This study was conducted to examine the effects of microwave energy on germination, early seedling growth, total chlorophyll, protein, GST and thiol content of wheat (Triticumaestivum L. population of Elbistan Yazlığı and Kayseri Pınarbaşı). Seeds of two bread wheat variety were exposed to middle level microwave energy (460 W) for 0.5, 1, 1.5 m in a household type microwave oven. The germination was not observed in the scaked seeds of the wheat which were exposed to microwave for 1.5 m. There was no negative effect of microwave energy on root and shoot length of seedlings. Microwave energy did not adversely affect dry seeds, but fresh weight gradually decreased in soaked seeds. Amount of chlorophyll decreased as the duration of microwave energy increased. It was determined that protein concentration was not significantly affected by microwave energy. Total cytosolic GST activity was increased in Kayseri-soaked, Kayseri-dry and Elbistan-dry samples depending on time, but decreased in Elbistan soaked samples. Total thiol ratio rised when looked at Kayseri-soaked and Elbistan-drysamples, but just the opposite in Kayseri-dry and Elbistan-soaked samples. Keywords: Germination, Microwaveenergy, Triticum aestivum, Vegetative growth.