Germination and growth response of flax (Linum usitatissimum) to salinity stress by different salt types and concentrations

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis investigation was conducted to explore the effects of salt types with different concentrations on germination and growth parameters of flax seeds. The experiment was set out as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications. We used six kinds of salts (NaCl, CaCl2, CaCO3, Na2SO4, Na2CO3 and KCl) with concentrations of 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM. According to the results, the inhibitory effects of the five salt types differed substantially, especially in the case of CaCO3, Na2CO3 and Na2SO4. Inhibitory effects of these salts were very strong compared to those of NaCl and CaCl2. Germination of flax seeds by various salts was in the order of NaCl > CaCl2 > KCl > Na2CO3 > Na2SO4 > CaCO3. The effect of salt concentration was obvious, too. Seeds of flax were able to germinate even in 200 mM NaCl, but they only germinated in distilled water or at very low CaCO3, Na2CO3 and Na2SO4 concentrations (50 mM).