Soil salinity is one of the most important constraints that limit crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Salinity also influences seed germination and it is crucial for the establishment of plants that grow in saline soils. This research was carried out in order to test the effects of different salinity levels on germination and early seedling growth traits of Secale species (Secale montanum, Secale cereale and Secale ceremont). Seed were treated with different salt solutions in an experiment using completely randomized design in three replications and 50 seeds/replicate. Experimental treatment included 6 levels of NaCl concentration (0, 50, 100, 200, 300 and 350 m mol/L). According to results the high levels of seed germination, germination rate, plumule length, and radicle length and seed vigor index were showed at control treatment. In 300 and 350 mM salinity concentration, the number of germinated seeds decreased significantly and there was not showed any germinated seed in S. cereale and S. ceremont. There was an evident decreasing in radicle and plumule length by increasing in NaCl concentration from 0 to 350 mmol/L. The highest germination rate obtained in control for S. ceremont. Mean germination time increased in Secale seeds by increasing salt concentrations. The highest radicle and plumule length were showed in control (3.53 and 7.42 cm, respectively). Vigor index decreased when salt concentration increased. The results indicated that appropriate treatment of the salt stress can improve the salt-tolerance in Secale.

Salinity is a factor that interferes on seed germination in most species. The objective of this work was to study the effects of different concentrations of NaCl on the emergence and vigor of Petunia x hybrida hort. Vilm E. ex., Torenia fournieri Lind and Tagetes patula L. seedlings. The experimental design was entirely randomized with five treatments (five concentrations of NaCl: zero, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM) and four replications of 50 seeds, for each species. The seeds were germinated in germitest paper at the alternating temperature of 20-30°C. Emergence (%) and Emergence Rate (ER) were performed daily until 14 days. Salt stress caused negative effects on the emergence and vigor on seedlings of these three ornamentals species.

Salinity stress is one of the most important abiotic stress factors limiting the plants' growth. Seed priming is known as a method which improves the germination performance in seeds in stress conditions. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Hydropriming and Halopriming on germination performance of Secale montanum while growing under the NaCl-salinity stress. Hydropriming and Halopriming were used in the study to prime seeds. For the Halopriming treatments, concentrations of 0, 125, 250 and 500 mM of sodium chloride were prepared. This experiment was carried out in four levels of salinity stress. A significant tow-way interaction (priming × stress) was found for all characteristics. Germination percent in Halopriming showed a significant decrease with the increases in duration and concentration of treatments. Higher root and shoot length values of S. mountanum were observed in Hydropriming treatment but as compared to the control, it was not statistic...

In order to examine seed germination responses of four medicinal plant coneflower, safflower, flax and artichoke to different levels of salinity, an experiment was performed in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, in a Completely Randomized Design with four replications. Treatments were different levels of salinities equal to 0, 4, 8 and 12 dSm -1 obtained by NaCl. Evaluated properties were germination percentage, rate and final number of germinated seeds. The results showed that the germinated seed number and the germination percentage had an inverse relation with salinity of substrate. Salinity stress with slow decline in germination of plant safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and artichoke (Gynara Scolymus L.). So that the salinity 12 dSm -1 germination percentage amount was high in the three plant. Germination rate under salt stress linearly decreased in all plants. The germination rate compared with germination percentage i...

This study was conducted to determine the response of Salvia tomentosa Mill. and Salvia officinalis L. to different salinity levels. The salvia plants were grown in 8 L pots filled with the continuously aerated nutrient solution under different salt levels 1 (control), 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 dS m-1 in fully automated climate chambers. The fresh and dry weight of shoot and root, stem length, leaf area, SPAD, CO2 fixation, root length, root diameter, root volume, leaf Na+, K+, Ca++ Cl- content, and amount of essential oil were determined. The increasing salt level decreased significantly plant growth of both Salvia species. However, highly significant differences were found between two Salvia species in terms of shoot and root biomass. Generally, S. tomentosa showed better plant growth performance in plant growth compared to S. officinalis. The Na+ and Cl- content of the leaves significantly increased with increasing salt concentration and the increase was higher in S. tomentosa. The amount...