Effect of light, salinity, and temperature on seed germination of Limonium stocksii

Abstract

Limonium stocksii (Boiss.) Kuntze (Plumbaginaceae) is a perennial, woody shrub distributed at Hawks Bay, Karachi, Pakistan. Experiments were carried out to investigate seed germination responses of L. stocksii at different salinities (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mmol/L NaCl) and under different temperature regimes (10:20, 15:25, 20:30, and 25:35 °C), both in a 12 h dark : 12 h light photoperiod and in complete darkness. The highest percentage of germination (about 100%) was obtained at 0, 100, and 200 mmol/L NaCl at 20:30 °C, and a further increase in salinity resulted in a gradual decrease in germination. Less than 5% of seeds germinated at 500 mmol/L NaCl. Germination under salinity treatment at 15:25 °C was slightly more inhibitory than the optimal temperature regime, whereas under both 10:20 and 25:35 °C temperature regimes, seed germination was substantially reduced and few seeds germinated at concentrations higher than 200 mmol/L NaCl. Germination rate was fastest at 20:30 °C and slowest at 10:20 °C. Relatively low seed germination was obtained in the dark in comparison to seeds germinated in a 12-h photoperiod under saline conditions. Recovery experiments showed that exposure of seeds to various salinity and temperature regimes had little effect on viability of seeds.Key words: germination, light, Limonium stocksii, NaCl, recovery, temperature.