Protein composition of barley seeds and evaluation of their germination energy and seedling vigour under control and water stress conditions

Parental genotypes, cv. Aramir and line R567, as well as selected doubled haploid (DH) barley lines differed in the main protein fraction content in seeds. Paternal form R567 and DH line C55 were characterized by the highest protein content, while the seed of the line C23 as compared to other genotypes had the lowest content of main protein fractions. Quantitative and qualitative differences were also found in electrophoretic patterns of albumins and globulins and in polypeptide composition of hordein B and C subfractions. Spectra of these proteins were found to have more bands in the parental form R567 and DH line C55. Electrophoretic albumin + globulin patterns in the DH line C23 differed from that of the remaining barley genotypes; that type of genotype was observed to have recombination with regard to polypeptide composition of hordein B and C subfractions. The water stress delayed the seed germination into normal seedlings in all genotypes. The highest germination energy under stress conditions was characteristic of seeds from the parental form R567 and DH line C55. Seedlings of these two genotypes, as compared to the others, distinguished by the longest plumule both in control and under water stress conditions. Stress effect on the seedling vigour was expressed in a significant reduction of the seedling length, the plumule being more sensitive to drought than roots. A smaller reduction of the plumule length was caused by the stress in the parental form R567 and DH line C55, whereas root response to water stress was similar in all studied genotypes.