Effects of late-terminal drought stress on seed germination and vigor of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Late-terminal drought stress during grain filling has recently become more common in the semi-arid Mediterranean region, where barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is grown as an important winter cereal crop. Little information is available in the literature about the effect of late-terminal drought stress on seed germination and vigor of barley. The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of late-terminal drought stress on seed germination and vigor of barley as estimated by the germination after accelerated aging test. Drought stress reduced grain yield of barley. Grain yield was correlated positively with leaf gross photosynthetic rate and negatively with leaf osmotic potential. Late-drought stress had no effect on standard germination, but reduced the germination after the accelerated aging test. These data suggested that late-terminal drought stress had a greater effect on seed vigor than standard germination in barley.