Throughout germination, which represents the initial and crucial phase of the wheat life cycle, the plant is notably susceptible to the adverse effects of drought. The identification and selection of genotypes exhibiting heightened drought tolerance stand as pivotal strategies aimed at mitigating these effects. For the stated objective, this study sought to evaluate the responses of distinct wheat genotypes to diverse levels of drought stress encountered during the germination stage. The induction of drought stress was achieved using polyethylene glycol at varying concentrations, and the assessment was conducted through the application of multivariate analysis and machine learning algorithms. Statistical significance (p < 0.01) was observed in the differences among genotypes, stress levels, and their interaction. The ranking of genotypes based on tolerance indicators was evident through a principal component analysis and biplot graphs utilizing germination traits and stress tolerance indices. The drought responses of wheat genotypes were modeled using germination data. Predictions were then generated using four distinct machine learning techniques. An evaluation based on R-square, mean square error, and mean absolute deviation metrics indicated the superior performance of the elastic-net model in estimating germination speed, germination power, and water absorption capacity. Additionally, in assessing the criterion metrics, it was determined that the Gaussian processes classifier exhibited a better performance in estimating root length, while the extreme gradient boosting model demonstrated superior performance in estimating shoot length, fresh weight, and dry weight. The study’s findings underscore that drought tolerance, susceptibility levels, and parameter estimation for durum wheat and similar plants can be reliably and efficiently determined through the applied methods and analyses, offering a fast and cost-effective approach.

Background: Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is known as one of the important crop of the Vigna group. In order to determine morphological traits of mungbean, multivariate analysis will provide important advantages in the selection phase of future breeding programs. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to determine and classify these traits. Multivariate analysis, that includes principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA), is considered the best tool for selecting promising genotypes in the future breeding programs. Methods: Eighteen landraces and two species were used to classify morphological traits in this study. Nine different morphological traits were observed during the research period. These are; days to 50% flowering (DFT), plant height (PH), branches per plant (BPP), clusters per plant (CPP), number of pods per cluster (PPC), seed yield per plot (SYPP), biomass yield per plot (BYPP), harvest index (HI), 1000 seed weight (SW). Result: Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a high level of variation among the genotypes. Therefore, high variability was observed in DFT (36-59 day), PH (39-76 cm), BPP (3-7), CPP (4-21), SYPP (231-824 g), BYPP (3300-10300 g), HI (6.77-11.25%) and 1000 SW (19.95-50.50 g). According to cluster analysis, landraces with the least genetic diversity distance between them in terms of morphological traits examined were determined as 2 and 3.

Salinity is the abiotic stress factor that most restricts agricultural production after drought. In this study, mung beans (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) genotypes were analyzed the resistance performance to salinity stress in germination stage and early seedling stage. In accordance with this purpose, 17 mung bean genotypes were used in the study. Genotypes used in the study were treated with distilled water (0) and 2 different salt doses (4 and 8 mmhos cm-1 NaCl) as the control group. Petri dishes were allowed to stay at room temperature (25 ° C) for 9 days, and salt solution was added when required. The data obtained from the study, were obtained on the average of the measurements made on the 9th day and then analyzed. Germination power, root length, shoot length, fresh weight and dry weight were determined as the analyzed parameters in the study. Increasing NaCl doses generally affected all parameters negatively. According to the analysis of variance with the results obtained, the genotypic effect was found to be statistically significant in all parameters, which was analyzed in this study. Stress dose was found to be statistically significant in all parameters except the dry weight parameter. In addition to this, genotype × stress dose interaction was determined to be statistically significant in germination power, root length and shoot length parameters. Genotypes, which were numbered No.20 and No.24, had maximum results in statistically important parameters such as germination power (97.00-94.11%), root length (1.557-1.563 cm) and shoot length (2.033-1.793 cm) under applied highest salt dose. As a result of this, No.20 and No.24 genotypes were determined to be the more tolerant to salt stress than other genotypes used in the study. As a conclusion, it is suggested that No.20 and No.24 genotypes can be used as parental plants in the breeding of new varieties tolerant to salinity in the future.

Barley is a crucial cereal crop with a diverse genetic heritage that includes landraces-traditionally cultivated variants that have adapted to varying agro-climatic conditions over centuries. Preserving barley landraces in genebanks is of utmost importance for safeguarding genetic diversity and aiding future breeding endeavors. This study aims an agro-morphological characterization of a selected collection of two row barley landraces conserved in the Osman Tosun Genebank. A total of 262 barley accessions were assessed in controlled field conditions to analyze various agro-morphological traits. The study unveiled notable disparities in the morphological traits of the genotypes, specifically in flag leaf anthocyanin, flag leaf sheath wax, spike shape, spike density, lemma color, grain color, lodging tendency, days to 50% flowering, plant height, spike length, spikelet quantity, and thousand grain weight, among other critical agronomical characteristics. To scrutinize the morphological disparities, the research utilized principal component analysis and ascertained that nearly 77.22% of the overall variance was accounted for by the first two principal components. The first four principal components accounted for 90.96% of the total variation, thus indicating significant genetic diversity among genotypes. The results of the cluster analysis revealed the presence of diverse genetic resources within the collection, with distinct groups of genotypes exhibiting similar traits being identified. The results of the agro-morphological characterization are a valuable resource for researchers and breeders, aiding them in making informed decisions regarding the management and application of barley landraces in breeding programs.

This study examined tissue culture responses and genetic variability among 25 two-row barley genotypes preserved in the Osman Tosun Gene Bank, including both Türkiye landraces and foreign-origin genotypes, with the objective of optimizing genetic resources for barley breeding programs. Key tissue culture parameters – callus induction rate, callus weight, regeneration capacity, and culture efficiency—were evaluated to access how diversity of genotypes influences tissue culture outcomes. Results revealed significant variation across all traits. Genotypes 77 and 1972 achieved the highest callus induction rates (100%), while genotype Zeynelağa exhibited the lowest (57.5%). Genotype 417 showed superior regeneration capacity (81.9%), and culture efficiency was highest in genotypes Standard Cultivar 138 (90.0%) and 1972 (70.0%). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that the first two principal components accounted for 87.84% of the variance in tissue culture responses, providing valuable insights into genotype relationships and trait performance. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed four distinct groups, with Cluster 1 displaying the highest mean performance across traits. Collectively, these findings underscore the role of diversity of genotypes in enhancing tissue culture efficiency and plant regeneration. High-performing genotypes, including 77, 1972, 417, and standard cultivar 138, show considerable promise for biotechnological applications and future barley crop improvement initiatives.

The aim of this research was to determine the responses of diploid and tetraploid Italian ryegrass cultivars to interactive effects of salinity and temperature during the germination period. The seeds of diploid (cv Efe) (2×) and tetraploid (cv Baquena) (4×) Italian ryegrass were used as materials. All data obtained in the study were subjected to analysis of variance in accordance with the completely randomized design as triplicate using a three-way factorial ANOVA. Therefore, using multivariate analysis at different temperatures, provided information about the relative importance of each trait. The seeds were germinated at three different temperatures (15ºC, 25ºC, 35ºC) with 12-h photoperiod to screen and evaluate the effects of three different sodium chloride concentrations (NaCl) (0, 75, 150 mM) on the seed germination process of the Italian ryegrass cultivars. Germination energy (%) and germination percentage (%), root length (cm), shoot length (cm), fresh weight (g), dry weight (g), promptness index, and simple vigour index were measured to define germination responses. At different temperatures and salinity conditions; tetraploid Italian ryegrass had a better performance as compared to diploid Italian ryegrass. 25ºC (Topt) and 75 mM (S2) are the optimal temperature and salt level for both cultivars during the germination process.