Tolerance of triticale genotypes to different levels of iron in nutrient solutions

Abstract

- Two wheat cultivars and twelve triticale inbred lines and two triticale cultivars were studied for iron tolerance in nutrient solutions. The treatments consisted of four different iron levels (0.56; 5.0; 10.0 and 20.0 mg/I) under constant temperature 28 ± loC, pH 4.0, and continuous aeration. Iron tolerance was evaluated by considering the mean root length, for each genotypes, after a period of twelve days growing in nutrient solution with different iron levels. The triticale lines M2A - KLA "S" x MA, Faro "S", Panche 7287, Nutria 7272, Merino "S" -JLO "S" and Nutria 440 were considered the most tolerant when 10 mg/I of Fe2+ were used in the solution, because their roots were longer in relation to those of the wheat cultivar BH-1146 (sensitive control), but they did not differ from the wheat cultivar Siete Cerros (tolerance control). As the iron concentration in the solutions was increased from 0.56 to 20.0 mg/l, all triticale genotypes showed more tolerance than BH-1146 and less tolerance than Siete Cerros, taking into account the percentage of root length reduction.