2002. Comparative effect of NaCl and seawater on seed germination of Limonium stocksii

Abstract

Limonium stocksii (Boiss.) O. Kuntze, a secreting perennial in the family Plumbaginaceae, is widely distributed in the coastal marshes of Karachi, Pakistan. We are reporting here the effect of seawater and NaCl on the seed germination of L. stocksii both under a 12 h photoperiod and in complete darkness. Seed germination decreased with increase in salinity and few seeds germinated above 30 dS m-1 in both NaCl solution and seawater. Absence of light had little effect under non-saline condition however, addition of salinity synergistically inhibited seed germination. Seawater inhibited seed germination of L. stocksii more than NaCl solutions under both light and dark conditions. All un-germinated seeds when transferred to distilled water after 20 days of salinity treatments readily germinated.