Salinity tolerance during germination of seashore halophytes and salt-tolerant grass cultivars

Abstract

Direct sowing is the simplest method of plant establishment for restoration and remediation purposes, but relatively few plants can establish under high salinity conditions. In this study, the ability of different seashore plants and grass cultivars to germinate in different dilutions of seawater (0–400 mM NaCl) was tested. Highest germination was found in distilled water or seawater dilutions up to 100 mM NaCl. When seawater concentrations were increased from 100 to 200 mM NaCl, a strong decline in germination percentage and rate was observed in less salt-tolerant species, such as Matricaria maritima and Achillea millefolium. The more salt-tolerant species, Plantago maritima, Juncus gerardii, Artemisia vulgaris, Agrostis spp. and Rumex spp., had a threshold salinity, where germination was significantly decreased in seawater dilutions between 200 and 400 mM NaCl. Even among the salt-tolerant species, only two, Agrostis stolonifera and Artemisia vulgaris, germinated at 400 mM. Variation in salinity response was observed among populations of Artemisia vulgaris and among cultivars of Festuca spp. Increasing salinity to 200 mM NaCl delayed germination in most species. Ungerminated seeds of most salinity-tolerant species were still viable after 21 d at the highest salinity (400 mM), and showed a rapid and high germination when transferred to distilled water. These species would be able to survive high salinity and germinate when the salinity of the sediments decreases through dilution or leaching of salts. The experiment revealed species and cultivars that will be of interest in further testing for restoration and remediation in saline habitats.