Morphological and physiological parameters of Cormophytae in selection of adequate water for control variant in biotests | Izbor vode za kontrolnu varijantu u biotestovima na osnovu fizioloških i morfoloških parametara kormofita

In recent decades, biological tests are more intensively used for assessment of water pollution and risk of individual pollutants, while the role of cultivated plants as bioindicators is increasing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of physiological (germination energy, germination) and morphological (root and shoot length) parameters of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) for water quality assessment, but also to define which water (alkaline pH 11.86, acidic pH 4.04, tap water, deionized and distilled) is optimal for the development of these species to serve as control variant in bioassays. The filter paper method according to ISTA Regulations book (2011) and Regulations on the quality of seeds of agricultural plants (Official gazette 58/2002) was applied. The whole experiment was conducted in four replications and results are presented as average values. Germination (%) and root and shoot length (cm) was measured after seven days. The highest percentage of mustard seeds germination was in distilled (94%) and tap water (91%) and highly significantly different compared to deionized (89%), alkaline (88.75%) and acid water (88%). The longest root of mustard was in distilled water (4.882 cm) and statistically significantly higher than other varieties (2.692 to 3.125 cm), which were on the same level of significance. The longest average shoot was measured in distilled water (4.457 cm), and it was at same level of significance with tap water and alkaline (4.135, 4.180 cm) and was significantly longer than the values in acid and deionized water (2.792, 3.205 cm). The highest percentage of corn germination was registered also in distilled (100%) and deionized water (99%), while the germination in acid (97%) and tap water (96%) was on the same level of significance, and highly significantly higher compared to germination in alkaline water (92%). Corn root length ranged from 10.91 cm in alkaline to 13.72 cm in deionized water, although all treatments were on the same level of significance. The longest shoot was recorded in tap (6.43 cm) and the shortest in alkaline water (4.65 cm) and the differences were statistically significant. Given indicates the suitability of all three parameters in the assessment of water quality, since they exhibited statistically significant differences in values. The results also favor the use of distilled water as control variant in bioassays that include white mustard and corn.