Investigation of salinity impacts on germination and growth of two forest tree species at seedling stage

Abstract

Soil salinity is becoming an increasingly serious constraint to plant growth in many parts of the world; this is particularly common in semi-arid and arid zones. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of salt on seed germination and seedling growth of Acacia albida and A. salicina. Collected seeds were treated with H₂SO₄ 98% for 35 min then left to germinate in a controlled growth chamber. Seeds were grown at salinity levels of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mol·L⁻¹ of NaH₂PO₄.H₂O. Germination parameters and seedling growth indices were measured after 35 days. The mean of total length of A. salicina in all salinity concentrations was more than that of A. albida. The fresh weight of stem and root of A. albida was more than that of A. salicina. Growth of control seedlings was higher than for other treatments and the fresh weight of stems of two species at salt concentrations of 0.2 and 0.3 mol·L⁻¹ decreased with increasing concentration of salt. Most control seeds germinated at salinity of 0.1 mol·L⁻¹ and germination index, final germination and seeds stamina was greater at low levels of salinity.

Keywords

soil salinity / germination / salt concentration / Acacia albida, Acacia salicina