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SEED GERMINATION OF LIMONIUM STOCKSII UNDER SALINE CONDITIONS

SABAHAT ZIA AND M. AJMAL KHAN

Abstract: Limonium stocksii (Boiss.) O. Kuntze, (Plumbaginaceae) a secreting, perennial shrub is widely distributed in the inter-tidal zones of Karachi, Pakistan. The effect of seawater and Sodium chloride showed that the seed germinated both under a 12-h photoperiod and complete darkness in 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 dS m-1 seawater and Sodium chloride at different temperature regimes (10o:20o, 15o:25o, 20o:30o and 25o:35oC). Seed germination decreased with an increase in salinity and few seeds germinated above 30 dS m-1 in seawater (25o:35oC). When seawater effect on germination was compared with that of NaCl, seawater appeared to inhibit seed germination more than NaCl at low and moderate temperatures but at the highest temperature regime (25o:35oC) seed germination in seawater was more than NaCl. Absence of light had little effect under non-saline condition, however, addition of salinity inhibited seed germination in dark and this inhibition was higher in seawater. Seeds when transferred to distilled water after 20-d of either NaCl or seawater treatments recovered completely.

Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan