Viability of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) seeds under salt stress

Although salt stress affects all plant growth stages, seed germination and seedling growth stages are the most sensitive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the seed viability of selected oilseed rape cultivars in saline conditions and to determine the most tolerant cultivars to salinity stress at germination stage. The experiment included four released oilseed rape cultivars. The salinity stress was simulated in vitro conditions by adding different concentrations of NaCl solution to the growing media. Testing of the seed viability was performed by using the standard laboratory method test and the accelerated aging test. In all four cultivars, with increasing concentrations of NaCl in the growing medium, significant changes were observed in determined characteristics. Results of accelerated aging test were lower than the standard laboratory test, which implies the importance of vigour tests as an additional indicator of physiological seed quality, especially under stress conditions. The most important source of variation is treatment, but the differences between the cultivars were also significant. Depending on traits, crossover and non-crossover cultivar ? treatment interactions were observed.