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BREAKING OF SEED DORMANCY IN DUCROSIA ANETHIFOLIA (DC.) BOIFF.

M.N. AL-YEMENI AND A.Y. BASAHY

Abstract: Scarification of seeds of Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiff., in concentrated sulphuric acid was found most effective than boiling water or ethanol treatment to break seed dormancy. Germination percentage at optimum temperature of 30 °C for seed germination decreased at 1 M NaCI salinity level from 65 to 8 %, this decrease in germination was also observed in the other temperature and salinity treatments giving a lower percentage of germination compared to the optimum. No germination was recorded at 1 M NaCI salinity level at lowest 10 °C and highest 40 °C temperature and also at 0.5 M and 0.1 M NaCl levels. Significant effect of temperature, salinity and their interaction was found on seed germination.

Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh-11451, Saudi Arabia.