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EFFECT OF GERMINATION REGULATING CHEMICALS ON SEED GERMINATION OF HALOGETON GLOMERATUS FOR ALLEVIATION OF SALINITY STRESS

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

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Abstract: Halogeton glomeratus (Bieb.) C.A. Mey (Chenopodiaceae) is an annual forb that is widely distributed in mixed desert shrub, salt desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities of northern Utah. Halogeton glomeratus seeds gave only 78% germination in distilled water. Fusicoccin (FC) had some effects in partially alleviating innate dormancy while other chemicals had no effect. Seed germination was inhibited with the increases in salinity, still 24% of the seeds germinated at 900 mM NaCl treatment. The application of germination regulating chemicals like fusicoccin, proline and nitrate almost completely alleviated the salinity effect on seed germination. Kinetin, GA₃ and thiourea were partially successful, while ethephon and betaine had little effect. The rate of germination was not significantly different from the control under non-saline condition for all germination regulating chemicals. At low salinity, thiourea, nitrate and fusicoccin were effective, while at moderate salinity, all of them except betaine and ethephon improved the rate of germination. At highest salinity, proline, FC, GA₃, and nitrate alleviated the rate of germination.

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

²Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, USA.
Corresponding author E-mail: majmalk@uok.edu.pk