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SEED GERMINATION OF KOCHIA SCOPARIA UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS: RESPONSES WITH GERMINATION REGULATING CHEMICALS

M. AJMAL KHAN^1,3, BILQUEES GUL¹, AND DARRELL J. WEBER²

Abstract: Seeds of Kochia scoparia were germinated at 25-35^oC under 0, 300, 600 and 900 mM NaCl with or without some germination regulating chemicals. Most of the seeds germinated in distilled water and at 300 mM NaCl but germination decreased with a further increase in salinity and about 25% of the seeds germinated at 900 mM NaCl. Exogenous application of ethylene, fusicoccin, gibberellic acid, kinetin and thiourea completely alleviated the salinity effect. Betaine was partially effective while proline and nitrate had no effect. Rate of germination did not vary in comparison to the control by the application of all growth regulators up to 600 mM NaCl.  However, at 900 mM NaCl the rate of germination was decreased substantially in the seeds treated with proline, betaine and nitrate.

¹Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan

²Department of Plant and Wildlife Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602. USA.