Determination of the Effects of Saponin Extract Applied at Different Doses on the Germination of Salvia officinalis Seeds

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of differentdoses of saponin extract on the germination performance andearly seedling development of Salvia officinalis L. (medicinalsage) seeds. The study was carried out in the PhysiologyLaboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Kırşehir Ahi Evran University. A total of fivedifferent treatments were evaluated in the experiment: control, hydropriming, hydropriming + 1.25% saponin, hydropriming+ 2.5% saponin, and hydropriming + 5% saponin. The seedswere incubated at 25 °C for 14 days; parameters such as germination rate, germination speed, germination index, germination energy, germination rate in the first seven days, average germination time, G-50 value, root length, and rootthickness were examined. The results showed that increasingsaponin concentration significantly suppressed thegermination and early seedling development of sage seeds. The highest germination rate (56.67%), germination speed(1.08), germination rate in the first seven days (40%), and rootlength (40.17 mm) were determined in the control treatment. In particular, it was found that germination was completelyinhibited with the 5% saponin application. Althoughhydropriming applications promoted early germination in some parameters, it was determined that saponin applicationshad a phytotoxic effect depending on the dose increase. Correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) resultsshowed strong relationships between germination parametersand that high saponin doses had a general suppressive effecton the biological system. In conclusion, it was evaluated thathigh concentrations of saponin applications inhibitedgermination and seedling development in Salvia officinalisseeds; however, saponins may have the potential to be naturally occurring biological regulators or biologicalherbicides.