Seed germination and viability of Salsola imbricata Forssk

Abstract

Salsola imbricata is a halophytic shrub widely distributed in the coastal and inland regions of Kuwait. The effect of light, temperature, salinity, storage temperature and water potential on germination was conducted in the laboratory experiments. S. imbricata seeds germinated well under wide range of temperatures and in both light and dark conditions; the higher the salinity, the lower the percentage of germination. Ungerminated seeds when transferred to distilled water recovered completely. In the water potential experiment, maximum germination was obtained in distilled water (99%) and decreasing water potential inhibited seed germination, less than 15% of the seeds germinated at -2.4 MPa. Seeds stored at -18 and 4°C for 24 months had 80 – 100% germination rate compared with 0% for those stored at ambient temperature and at 50°C. Based on this result, it is concluded that S. imbricata seeds could establish in wide range of environmental conditions. However the water stress may reduce the establishment of seedlings in the natural population. The seeds are short lived and should be stored at lower temperatures (-18 and 4°C) to maintain viability. Key words: Halophyte, viability, salinity, storability, water stress.