ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effects of Water Stress on Seed Germination
for Select Landscape Plants
Hakan Sevik1, Mehmet Cetin2
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1Department of Environmental Engineering, Kastamonu University, Kuzeykent, 37100, Kastamonu, Turkey
2Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture,
Kastamonu University, Kuzeykent, 37100, Kastamonu, Turkey
Submission date: 2014-08-13
Acceptance date: 2014-10-02
Publication date: 2015-04-02
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2015;24(2):689-693
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ABSTRACT
In this study, the effect of water stress on the germination rate of the seeds of nine pieces of species used
for landscaping works in Kastamonu is investigated. The seeds of these species have been subject to germination
trials with water stress level between 0 and -8 bar and the germination percentages of the seeds have
been identified. The water stress was constituted with the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) solution and
germinations were carried out at 25ºC in a period of 35 days. Depending on the water stress as a result of these
studies, it has been stated that the percentages of all species have decreased as from -2 bar water stress; there
are no germinations in -6 bar water stress for the tree of heaven, and in -8 bar water stress for Cupressus arizonica
and Sophora japonica. We found that the species most resistant to water stress are Pinus nigra,
Cupressus sempervirens, and Pinus brutia.