6. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
EFFECTS OF DROUGHT STRESS ON DILL (Anethum graveolens) IN VITRO CONDITIONS
Water scarcity is a major environmental constraint to plant growth and productivity. Crop yield loss due to drought is directly related to both the severity and duration of stress. In this study, the effects of drought stress on dill seeds and plants were investigated. The study was conducted under in vitro conditions and drought conditions were created by adding PEG at 0%, 1%, 2%, 4% and 6% (DRA, DRB, DRC, DRD, DRE, respectively) to MS medium. The effects of different drought levels on germination percentage (%), stem wet weight (g), stem dry weight (g), root wet weight (g), root dry weight (g), stem length (cm) and root length (cm) were investigated. As a result of the statistical analysis of the data obtained, it was determined that the effects of drought concentrations on all parameters examined were significant. According to the results of the study, the increase in drought levels had a significant inhibitory effect on seed germination. The highest germination rate was found in DRA (74.00%) and the lowest in DRE (10.00%). Stem wet and dry weights of plants varied according to drought levels and the highest values for both parameters were obtained from DRA (0.0408 g, 0.0035 g, respectively) and the lowest values were obtained from DRE (0.0076 g, 0.0006 g). When the effects on root wet and dry weights were examined, the highest values were observed in DRA (0.0107 g, 0.0007 g) and the lowest values were observed in DRE (0.0003 g, 0.0002 g) environments. The highest stem and root lengths were obtained from DRA (3.72 cm, 5.16 cm) and the lowest from DRE (1.36 cm, 0.40 cm). It was determined that the germination power and plant growth of dill seeds decreased with increasing drought severity. It is of great importance to determine the responses of cultivated plants to drought stress by increasing these studies against drought stress, which is thought to increase in the future.