Study of the effect of water stress on seed quality

Cereals and durum wheat in particular play a key role in agriculture and consequently in the Algerian economy. This importance is justified on several levels. Durum wheat is a basic component of the local population's diet. Nevertheless its production remains low in relation to the ever-increasing needs and its importation is a heavy burden on the Algerian economy. This study investigates the relationship between the physiological aspects of germination and the structural characteristics of durum wheat seeds under different water regimes imposed by variations in the osmotic potential of the germination medium. The structural divergences of the seeds are conditioned by the nature of the seeds emanating from eight genotypes of different origins and behaviors.