INFLUENCE OF SALINITY AND TEMPERATURE ON THE GERMINATION OF HALOXYLONRECURVUM BUNGE EX BOISS

The stem succulent perennial halophyte Haloxylon recurvum Bunge ex. Bo iss. grows and produces seed under highly saline conditions and seeds are deposited in saline soils. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of salinity and temperature on the germination of seeds. R esults indicate that seeds can germinate at very high salt concentrati ons (500 mM). However, highest germination percentages were obtained i n distilled water. Cooler thermoperiods promoted germination, while hi gh temperatures significantly inhibited the germination of seeds at al l NaCl concentrations tested. Rate of germination decreased with incre ases in salinity. At higher thermoperiods the rate of germination was significantly lower in comparison to lower thermoperiods. Seeds recove r after being transferred to distilled water and recovery was higher f rom higher salinity concentrations and lower thermoperiods. Final reco very germination percentages in high salt treatments were significantl y lower than non-saline controls, indicating that exposure to high con centration of NaCl permanently inhibited germination. (C) 1996 Annals of Botany Company