Effects of water deficit during germination of wheat seeds

Germinating seeds of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were tolerant to d ehydration up to the 4(th) day following imbibition and from the 5(th) day the seedling survival decreased. Dehydration also inhibited the rate of see d dry mass depletion and seedling dry matter accumulation and increased the content of soluble sugars both in grain and seedlings. Glucose supplied ei ther to dry seeds or to 4-d-old seedlings increased survival of dehydrated seedlings. In contrast, exogenously supplied non-readily metabolizable sorb ose and mannose suppressed seedling survival.