The Influence of Glyphosate on Germination Behaviour of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The germination behaviour of glyphosate-treated seeds of two wheat cultivars was investigated. Ten concentrations of the herbicide (480 g/L.) ranged from zero to 260 g. a.i./Fed. were applied to the dry seeds by soaking for two hours. Germination was then conducted in petri dishes on filter paper at average daily maximum and minimum temperatures of 19.65 and 6.15 °C in the laboratory. Seedling growth behaviour was recorded periodically at the 4th, 7th and 10th day of germination.
The results indicated that glyphosate treatment at different concentrations did not affect the germination percentage in both wheat cultivars. On the other hand, in comparison to the control, the herbicide treatment caused significant reduction in maximum seedling root and shoot lengths. The reduction increased proportionally by increasing the herbicide concentration. Treatments with high concentrations of the glyphosate caused significant reduction in total root number per seedling in cv. Sakha 8. At concentrations of 260, 130 and 65 g a.i./Fed. all seeds exhibited root aberration in both wheat cultivars.
Clear variation in cultivar susceptability to glyphosate treatment was observed, particularly at concentrations lower than 65 g a.i./Fed.
However, cv. Giza 155 seemed to possess better survival to glyphosate treatment than cv. Sakha 8 concerning root inhibition percentage and seedling part measurements. The results indicated the practical importance of the reactions of different genetic codes to the herbicide in the field including the crop and the weeds.