Soil Substrate Research Articles

Phytotoxic Activity of Myrciaria cuspidata O. Berg, a Dominant Myrtaceae Woodland Tree Native of Brazil

Limited phytodiversity and regeneration rates occur in some of the southern Brazilian formations known as the Myrtacean Woodlands. Data on phytotoxicity, chemical composition, and allelopathic potential of Myrciaria cuspidata O. Berg, a dominant species in such woodlands, is missing. In this study, both the chemical composition and phytotoxic activity of an aqueous extract (AE) from M. cuspidata leaves were investigated. Target plants were the model species Lactuca sativa L. and the weed Bidens pilosa L. Germination rates, seedling growth, and phenotypic responses of target species were assessed following AE application to determine the inhibitory capacity of M. cuspidata leaf extract. Germination of L. sativa was reduced and delayed in the presence of AE. Strong inhibition of germination was recorded in B. pilosa achenes under the same treatment. Pre-germinated seedlings of L. sativa were essentially not affected by AE, whereas those of the weed showed some negative developmental responses. Overall, inhibitory responses were consistent both in vitro and in soil substrate. Detrimental effects were most apparent in roots and included tip darkening and growth anomalies often preceded by loss of mitochondrial viability. AE proved rich in phytotoxic phenolic compounds including quercetin, gallic and tannic acid. To sum up, AE shows potential as an environmentally friendly pre-emergence bioherbicide of low residual effect and minor environmental impact. Experimental data in laboratory conditions were consistent with potential allelopathic activity of this tree, as inferred from field observations of dominance in the Myrtaceae Woodlands.

Development of scallion (Allium fistulosum L.) in substrate and homeopathic solutions of water hyacinth

Scallion (Allium fistulosum) is a widely appreciated condiment in the Brazilian population, with significant economic and nutritional importance. Organic cultivation alternatives for this crop have been sought. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the development of scallion in a substrate produced from the floating aquatic plant known as Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), combined with soil or without it, with the application of homeopathic solutions. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with five replicates and six treatments, namely: Pure Water Hyacinth Substrate (SAP); Water Hyacinth Substrate with Homeopathic solution (SA+HA); Soil and Water Hyacinth Substrate (S+SA); Soil and Water Hyacinth Substrate with Homeopathic solution (S+SA+HA); Pure Soil (SP), and Soil with Homeopathic solution (S+HA). The following parameters were evaluated 60 days after planting: plant height in centimeters (AP), shoot diameter in millimeters (DP), and the number of shoots (NP). Analysis of variance revealed that plant height (AP) did not exhibit significant differences between substrates with or without the homeopathic solution. In contrast, substrates containing Water Hyacinth exhibited greater shoot diameter and number of shoots. This study showed that the Water Hyacinth substrate and homeopathic solution had promising results in the production of scallion seedlings when combined with soil.

Study of the effect of five growing media used for the nursery production of Bombax costatum Pellegr. et Vuillet: A multipurpose tree in Côte d'Ivoire

Bombax costatum Pellegr. et Vuillet is a species frequently recommended for reforestation in West Africa. Mass production of vigorous seedlings of this species in nurseries is necessary for the reconstitution of colonies. The effect of five growing media on the growth parameters and dry matter production of Bombax costatum was studied in a completely randomised design. The Soil substrate was compared with a mixture of three (3) portions of Soil + one (1) portion of organic matter based on poultry droppings, rice straw compost, cocoa pod husks compost and wood chips compost, respectively. The growing media enriched with organic matter had pH values close to neutral and high levels of organic matter and nitrogen. The Soil + Poultry droppings substrate favored the production of plants with the highest values of stem height (87.84 cm; p ≤ 0.042), collar diameter (13.72 mm; p ≤ 0.004), number of leaves (19.34; p ≤ 0.025) and total dry matter (20 g.plant-1; p ≤ 0.036). Since the quality of transplant affects plant establishment and initial growth, the substrate Soil + Poultry droppings must be recommended for the nursery production of Bombax costatum, followed by the substrates Soil + Rice straw and Soil + Cocoa pod husks compost.

Acidulated Soapstock as a Carbon Source for the Production of Mannosylerythritol Lipids by Pseudozyma antarctica ATCC 2706

Acid oil produced from the acidulation of soapstock was investigated as a feedstock for producing a glycolipid biosurfactant, manosylerithritol lipid (MEL), by microbial fermentation. Fermentation with the optimized acid oil substrate concentration of 200 g L−1 resulted in 3.89 g L−1 of MEL. To enhance productivity, the titer MEL was produced by a multistage fermentation process with the periodic addition of 20–50 g L−1 substrate after the stationary phase of the culture. The repeated substrate feeding marginally enhanced the MEL titer up to 5.56 g L−1. The MEL from the culture broth was recovered by solvent extraction at different pH levels. Among the solvents tested, ethyl acetate: acetonitrile (9:1) demonstrated a higher partition coefficient value of 3.1 in acidic conditions with 75.6% MEL recovery. The MEL produced by using acid oil as feedstock has significant surface-active properties, measuring 2.8 × 10−6 M in critical micelle concentration with 29.3 mN m−1 surface tension.

Plant and Microbial Carbon Are Important Drivers of Free‐Living Nitrogen Fixation in Tropical Forest Soils: A New Discovery of Carbon‐Driven Nitrogen Input

AbstractNitrogen (N) availability limits plant growth and soil carbon (C) sequestration in N‐limited ecosystems, however, plant and soil C feedback on the free‐living nitrogen fixation (FLNF) process is poorly understood. Moreover, whether this feedback is influenced by initial N availability in leguminous and non‐leguminous forest soils has not been clarified. Here, we found that the addition of plant‐ and microbial‐derived C significantly enhanced soil nitrogenase activity (13∼28%) and that microbial‐derived C had a more positive impact. These positive effects were attributed to the direct C‐energy supply (0.49∼0.84) rather than variations in soil microbial activity (−0.01∼0.21) and substrate resources (−0.45∼0.27). Long‐term N addition did not inhibit FLNF. C addition promoted FLNF in soils of the two forests, but the response rate was higher in the leguminous forest soils. Our study reveals that increased soil C availability can drive FLNF in tropical forests, enhancing our understanding of the soil C‐N coupling mechanism.

Enhanced methane and energy generation from sewage water using microbial fuel cells with paddy field soil substrate

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have potential in wastewater treatment, biogas production and clean energy generation. MFCs provide an interdisciplinary research approach incorporating engineering and natural sciences. This study explores MFCs’ capabilities to produce electricity and biogas from wastewater and field soil substrates with different compositions. A two-chamber MFC system was operated anaerobically. Household sewage water used as the organic substrate with different soil amounts. Six different process feed compositions, labeled MFC-1–6, were investigated. MFC-1 exhibited the highest biogas generation volume of 245 cm³ and 42 mW/cm² power density. MFC-5 and −6 yielded 100 cm³ and 130 cm³, respectively. Wastewater treatment was effective on day 20, with pH, conductivity, turbidity, and total dissolved solids decreased to 7.3, 2.6 mS, 326 NTUs, and 1114 mg/L, respectively. Since, MFC-1 autonomously generated −800 mV, an external battery supplied an additional 600 mV to meet the methane generation voltage requirements. MFCs’ effectiveness in addressing wastewater treatment and renewable energy production was highlighted.

The Standardized Spectroscopic Mixture Model

The standardized spectral mixture model combines the specificity of a physically based representation of a spectrally mixed pixel with the generality and portability of a spectral index. Earlier studies have used spectrally and geographically diverse collections of broadband and spectroscopic imagery to show that the reflectance of the majority of ice-free landscapes on Earth can be represented as linear mixtures of rock and soil substrates (S), photosynthetic vegetation (V) and dark targets (D) composed of shadow and spectrally absorptive/transmissive materials. However, both broadband and spectroscopic studies of the topology of spectral mixing spaces raise questions about the completeness and generality of the Substrate, Vegetation, Dark (SVD) model for imaging spectrometer data. This study uses a spectrally diverse collection of 40 granules from the EMIT imaging spectrometer to verify the generality and stability of the spectroscopic SVD model and characterize the SVD topology and plane of substrates to assess linearity of spectral mixing. New endmembers for soil and non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV; N) allow the planar SVD model to be extended to a tetrahedral SVDN model to better accommodate the 3D topology of the mixing space. The SVDN model achieves smaller misfit than the SVD, but does so at the expense of implausible fractions beyond [0, 1]. However, a refined spectroscopic SVD model still achieves small (<0.03) RMS misfit, negligible sensitivity to endmember variability and strongly linear scaling over more than an order of magnitude range of spatial resolution.

Enhancing Clonal Micropropagation of Zarya Alatau Apple

The purpose of this study was to improve the protocol of clonal micropropagation for effective mass production of the Zarya Alatau apple cultivar through the use of axillary buds. In Kazakhstan’s challenging climate, the Zarya Alatau apple thrives because of its unique traits, including fruit preservation until May, cold hardiness, and resistance to scab and powdery mildew. Micropropagation is essential for healthy mother tree establishment, and this research focused on key factors for successful in vitro propagation. The sterilization of explants was optimized: 1.6% solution of sodium hypochlorite effectively sterilized plant materials for 10 minutes. Nutrient media composition was evaluated for efficient shoot regeneration. The study examined axillary bud regeneration on Murashige and Skoog medium with different concentrations of hormones. A combination of 6-benzylaminopurine (0.5 mg/L) and gibberellic acid (0.5 mg/L) yielded optimal results, with shoots reaching 3.5 cm. Root induction was analyzed with varying indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentrations, and the best results were achieved with 1.5 mg/L IAA, resulting in an 85% rooting frequency. Adapting in vitro plants to ex vitro conditions is crucial given their sensitivity to environmental changes. Well-developed leaves and a robust root system are essential for successful acclimatization during transplantation into a soil substrate. This research provides valuable insights into the critical parameters for a successful transition of in vitro propagated plants to soil conditions, optimizing micropropagation practices.

Direct Evidence for Microbial Regulation of the Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Carbon Decomposition.

Soil physicochemical protection, substrates, and microorganisms are thought to modulate the temperature sensitivity of soil carbon decomposition (Q10), but their regulatory roles have yet to be distinguished because of the confounding effects of concurrent changes of them. Here, we sought to differentiate these effects through microorganism reciprocal transplant and aggregate disruption experiments using soils collected from seven sites along a 5000-km latitudinal transect encompassing a wide range of climatic conditions and from a 4-year laboratory incubation experiment. We found direct microbial regulation of Q10, with a higher Q10 being associated with greater fungal:bacterial ratios. However, no significant direct effects of physicochemical protection and substrate were observed on the variation in Q10 along the latitudinal transect or among different incubation time points. These findings highlight that we should move forward from physicochemical protection and substrate to microbial mechanisms regulating soil carbon decomposition temperature sensitivity to understand and better predict soil carbon-climate feedback.

Study of the possibilities of determining mobile sulfur by physical-chemical and chemical methods in various substrates in the presence of orthanilic K

<p>The article presents the results of testing the developed method for determining mobile sulfur in wood ash and various soil substrates. Determination of sulfur in sulfate form in presence of orthanilic K is possible due to the indicator’s ability to form coloured complexes with Ba<sup>2+</sup> ion. We examined the ranges of volumetric and photometric determination. The accuracy of the analysis was determined by comparison with a certified method. We present optimal conditions for the successful determination of the mobile sulfur with the titration and with spectrophotometric method. The results of experiments confirming the capabilities of the method under study are presented.</p>

Analysis of technologies of disposal and use fibrous paper skopje

The article examines the current state and trends in the development of waste management technologies in the pulp and paper industry, with the aim of analyzing the reasons that hinder, and sometimes make impossible, the effective utilization of fibrous waste paper to obtain environmentally safe materials and raw products. The production of paper products is one of the most capital-intensive and energy-intensive industries, second only to the metallurgical and chemical industries, with a correspondingly large amount of waste and a negative impact on the environment. The technological processes of scum formation as a result of waste paper recycling and paper production wastewater treatment are considered and analyzed. Skopje is the final waste of the pulp and paper industry, which is formed at various stages of the paper and cardboard manufacturing process, therefore it is deposited in landfills. Multiton volumes of skopje require significant areas for its storage. Despite the low IV hazard class, this leads to serious environmental problems, as the leachate from the skopje landfill pollutes surface and ground water. Technologies of possible disposal and reuse of skopje, known in domestic and foreign literature, are described and analyzed. The technology of reusing scoop is determined by its relatively environmentally safe physicochemical composition. The indicated fibrous, mineral, extractive constituents and lignin determine the possibility of reusing skopje, mainly for the construction industry. The perspective of the complex use of multi-tonnage waste – slag, sludge, ash and slag of thermal power plants as plasticizers, fillers, binders and binding components in the production of building structural and heat-insulating materials is named. Technologies for using scapula as a filler in the production of building materials require a high content of inorganic compounds and a minimum amount of organic compounds. A high content of fibrous particles and a low content of mineral substances is necessary when using scapula in the production of composite wood composite materials. The specified technological limitations ensure only small amounts of skopje use in the production of building materials. The effectiveness of using skopje as an additive to the asphalt mixture for road construction and production of fuel materials is determined by the economic costs of transportation and dewatering. It is noted that the high humidity, ash content and low calorific value of scum are the main reason for the lack of effective technologies for its utilization. The solution to the problem is the use of low-energy technologies through the direct use of osprey as a component of the soil mixture for biological reclamation of man-made landscapes. The article substantiates an environmentally safe and socially favourable option for using a soil substrate based on osprey. It is emphasised that the humidity and organic viscosity of the plant origin of osprey form the agrotechnical properties of soil substrates of prolonged action, which ensure optimal technological efficiency of phytomelioration of degraded lands. The reclaimed areas will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the soil, prevent wind and water erosion, and ensure the environmental safety of natural and man-made ecosystems.

Dispersion and ellipticity of Rayleigh waves in a soil substrate supporting resonant beams and plates

Dispersion and ellipticity of Rayleigh waves in a soil substrate supporting resonant beams and plates

Acceleration of propagation of source material for Sorbus Sensu Lato Breeding

Aim. The permanent growth of interest in rowan and other currently underestimated Sorbus sensu lato crops has prompted the search to improve the accelerated propagation technique of its most valuable genotypes for breeding. Methods. The experiments involved 3–7-year-old Sorbus sensu lato plants from the National Dendrological Park "Sofiyivka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine collection. Statistical analysis of the experimental data was performed according to Ronald Fisher. Results. It was found that the germination rate of the studied sorboid plants depended on the method of seed preparation. In contrast, the grafting efficiency depended more on the grafting method than on the graft genotype. The use of our modified MS media allowed us to obtain clone formation coefficients (6.6–7.9) sufficient for effective micropropagation and to induce morphogenesis with 59.9–88.8 % of rooted microclones, as well as to achieve stable results of adaptation of the studied Sorbus sensu lato to non-sterile ex vitro conditions both in peat disks (69.1–90.3 %) and in containers with soil substrates (70.4–93.0 %). Conclusions. The results of comparing the methods of accelerated propagation of source material for breeding sorboid crops obtained in long-term experiments showed the advantages of micropropagation and the prospects for introducing the micropropagation link into breeding practice and nursery of the most valuable for horticulture Sorbus sensu lato.

Salt Tolerance of Fungi and Prospects for Mycodiagnostics of Contamination in Saline Soils

The review is devoted to the analysis of the characteristics of salt-tolerant fungi in order to identify the possibility of their use for indicating chemical contamination of highly mineralized soils and the search for potential test species for laboratory mycotesting. A list of representatives of halophilic and halotolerant genera of micromycetes is given, which can serve as indicators of pollution by heavy metals, oil products and other toxicants against the background of increased mineralization of soil substrates. For biotesting of soils with an average level of mineralization, micromycetes belonging to moderate halotolerant species are proposed as promising. The morphological, physiological and molecular mechanisms of adaptation of halophilic and halotolerant fungi to conditions of increased salinity of habitats are analyzed. The effects on fungal communities, which are caused by a combination of salinity with chemical pollution of different nature, are considered. Methodological aspects of the practical use of salt-tolerant fungi for biodiagnostics of the degree of unfavourability of saline soils are considered: the composition of media, cultivation conditions, and test reactions of fungal cultures that are optimal for an adequate assessment of the degree of halotolerance of fungi and ecotoxicity of soil samples.

Exploring the glycoprotein washing fluid-assisted cleanup for the restoration of oil-contaminated shorelines with environmental integrity

Spilled oil in ocean can spread to the shoreline and cause long-term impacts on the shoreline's ecological environment. Therefore, removing oil accumulated on shorelines is crucial. This study proposed an innovative ovalbumin (OVA) fluid-assisted method for the cleanup of oiled shoreline substrates. The oil removal efficiency of OVA fluids was systematically investigated. Higher concentrations of OVA fluids effectively enveloped and immobilized the oil, aiding in its separation from the sand surface. The increased temperature reduced the viscosity of emulsions, facilitating improved flow and oil removal. High salinity promoted the creation of oil particle aggregates molecules and facilitated the release of oil from the sand surface. The factorial analysis demonstrated that a high salt environment significantly enhances the combined impact of temperature and pH on oil removal performance. Different methods for the responsive separation of washing effluents were studied, and the most effective separation method was adjusting the pH of effluents to 4.54 (the isoelectric point of OVA). Separated precipitates exhibited good decomposition efficiency through thermal decomposition and biodegradation. OVA fluids boast advantages, such as low cost, easy recyclability, and non-toxicity, while ensuring high oil removal efficiency and making them a promising eco-friendly technique for the cleanup of oiled shorelines.

Enhanced Remediation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil Through Fungal Delignification Strategy and Organic Waste Amendment: A Review

AbstractNutrient-limited soils from growing global contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the massive organic waste generation from agro-based and food industries have raised more demand for exploring and recycling the latter as sustainable, cost-effective, and green nutrient-rich sources for soil amendment. To further enhanced the potentials of these substrates in soil, immobilisation or biological pre-treatment techniques using fungi are employed. The white-rot fungi- basidiomycetes, are the most widely researched and efficient organisms to perform these functions because of their high lignin-degrading ability for organic materials, such as corn cob, straws, spent brewery grains, sugarcane bagasse, etc. This review addresses the importance of organic amendment to enhance the biodegradation efficiency of PAH from contaminated soils and it also highlights various biological techniques for improving PAH biodegradation using organic waste materials and white-rot basidiomycetes. This review will also show a better understanding of the concepts of fungal immobilisation and pre-treatment for PAH degradation in soil and show their insights as feasible and optimise techniques for developing remedial strategies for contaminated soils.

In-situ stabilized lipase in calcium carbonate microparticles for activation in solvent-free transesterification for biodiesel production

Biodiesel serves as a crucial biofuel alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuels, achieved through enzymatic transesterification of oil substrates. This study aims to investigate stabilized lipase (LP) within calcium carbonate (CaCO3) microparticles as a catalyst for solvent-free transesterification in biodiesel synthesis. The specific hydrolysis activity of the in-situ immobilized LP was 66% of that of free LP. However, the specific transesterification activity of immobilized LP in the solvent-free phase for biodiesel production was 2.29 times higher than that of free LP. These results suggest that the interfacial activation of LP molecules is facilitated by the inorganic CaCO3 environment. The immobilized LP demonstrated higher biodiesel production levels with superior stability compared to free LP, particularly regarding methanol molar ratio and temperature. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports on the in-situ immobilization of LP in a CaCO3 carrier without any crosslinker as an interfacial-activated biocatalyst for biodiesel production.

Partial Organic Substitution Fertilization Improves Soil Fertility While Reducing N Mineralization in Rubber Plantations

Overuse of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers leads to N leaching and soil degradation. Replacing chemical N fertilizers with organic fertilizers can enhance soil nutrition, reduce N loss, and improve soil productivity. However, the effects of combining organic and chemical fertilizers on soil N components and N transformation remain unclear. A 12-year field study included four treatments: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (CF), 50% chemical N fertilizer combined with co-composted organic fertilizer (CFM), and composted (CFMC) organic fertilizer. The results showed that CFM and CFMC significantly enhanced SOC, TN, LFON, DON, NH4+-N, and MIN levels compared to CF. The CFM and CFMC treatments enhanced the soil N supply capacity and N pool stability by increasing the N mineralization potential (N0) and decreasing the N0/TN ratio. The CFM and CFMC treatments decreased net N ammonification rates by 108.03%–139.83% and 0.44%–64.91% and net mineralization rates by 60.60%–66.30% and 1.74%–30.38%, respectively. Changes in N transformation have been attributed to increased soil pH, enzyme activity, and substrate availability. These findings suggest that partial organic fertilizer substitution, particularly with co-composted organic fertilizers, is a viable strategy for enhancing soil fertility, improving soil N supply and stability, and reducing N loss in rubber plantations.

Initial pedogenic processes, mineral and chemical transformations and mobility of trace elements in Technosols on dumps of the former copper mines in Miedziana Góra and Miedzianka, the Świętokrzyskie Mts., south-central Poland

Technosols develop, among others, on dumps of former copper mines which became overgrown in spontaneous plant succession. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of pedogenesis on soil properties, mineral and geochemical composition, as well as operationally defined forms of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in Technosols developed on former mine dumps of the Miedziana Góra and Miedzianka former mining areas in south-central Poland. The studied Technosols were weakly developed soils with a simple soil profile comprising (1) C horizons in the subsoil and (2) O and A (or AC) horizons in the topsoil. The pHH2O of soils was 5.5–8.1. High soil pHH2O values were due to occurrence of carbonates (up to 25 %). The highest content of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) was found in O horizons as well as in A and AC horizons including buried A horizon. Soil magnetic susceptibility (χ) was 6.0–171.3 × 10–8 m3 kg−1. In each profile, the highest χ values were typical of A horizons including the buried A horizon. The most common minerals present in all profiles were quartz, kaolinite and mica. There were also admixtures of carbonates (dolomite, calcite), feldspars (orthoclase and albite), jarosite, goethite and traces of Fe sulphides. SEM-EDS analyses showed that soil substrate was subject to transformations of sulphides into Fe oxides. Moreover, pedogenic Cu carbonates were found in pores and on coarse materials. Technosols were enriched in Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Zn, U and Th. The most mobile trace elements in the studied Technosols were Cd, Cu and Zn. Topsoil horizons of the studied soils contained a considerable share of Pb, Cu, Zn and Ni bound with soil organic matter. Arsenic was mostly bound with Fe oxides. First indicators of pedogenesis in the studied Technosols are (1) accumulation of soil organic matter in the topsoil followed by the decrease of soil pH and leaching of carbonates, (2) mineral transformations in the soil substrate (alteration of sulphides into Fe oxides and jarosite; origin of pedogenic Cu carbonates due to crystallization from soil solutions), (3) increase of magnetic susceptibility in the topsoil which may be an effect of atmospheric dust fall out or pedogenic transformation of Fe oxides into the phases with higher magnetic susceptibility and (4) the effect of soil properties, mineral composition and soil organic matter on geochemical forms of potentially toxic trace elements. The novelty value of the study lies in the identification of pedogenic Cu carbonates and the potential effect of soil-forming processes on the increase of topsoil magnetic susceptibility.

A Comparative Study of the Influence of Soil and Non-Soil Factors on Seed Germination of Edible Salt-Tolerant Species

Cultivating edible salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) for human consumption is increasingly important due to climate change and soil salinization, and offers sustainable agricultural solutions. Optimizing seed germination, the crucial initial stage of crop growth, is essential for enhancing crop production. This study aimed to optimize the germination of edible halophytes under greenhouse conditions, focusing on select soil (salinity and substrate) and non-soil-related factors (chemical and mechanical treatments). The target species were selected for their commercial value and included Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. (crystalline iceplant), Salicornia ramosissima J. Woods (sea asparagus), Medicago marina L. (sea medick), Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link (European beachgrass), Portulaca oleracea L. (common purslane), and Atriplex halimus L. (Mediterranean saltbush). Salinity negatively impacted germination rates (GRs) and delayed mean germination time (MGT) across species. P. oleracea had the highest GR (95.6%) in coco peat under freshwater irrigation, and the shortest MGT (5.2 days). A. halimus did not germinate under the tested conditions. Scarification with sulfuric acid improved the GR of M. marina by 42.2%, while scarification with ultrasounds improved the GR of A. arenaria by 35.5%. Our results indicate that the choice of substrate and the application of specific treatments like scarification can significantly improve the germination of certain halophyte species under variable saline conditions.