The effect of drought and salinity stress on seed germination characteristic and seedling growth of salsolacrassa under laboratory and greenhouse conditions

Moisture deficiency and soil salinity are two inhibiting factors that affect the forage production in rangelands, so that moisture and salinity are the main barriers for plants reproduction at the seed germination time. Therefore, in this study, the effect of different level of salinity and moisture on the germination characteristic in Salsola crassa was conducted. Factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with four replicates was performed. Three common salts which are found in rangelands including: Calcium Chloride (CaCl2), Potassium Chloride (KCl), Sodium Chloride (NaCl) and a combination of three salt treatments at six levels containing: 5, 10,15,20,25 and 30 g/l were used under laboratory conditions. Also distilled water was used as control. Drought stress effects were studied at the greenhouse condition in which treatments was included irrigation periods with an interval of three days in four replications. Investigated characteristics were including: percentage and speed of germination, root and shoot length, height and aerial biomass. The results showed that all seedling characteristics changed under increasing salinity and drought stress levels (P<0/01). Salinity levels showed significant effects on germination percentage and velocity, seedling root and shoot length. Drought stress, significantly affected plant height and aerial biomass (P <0/05), but increasing in stress level, resulted in increasing of root length (P<0/01).The irrigation period of 18 days interval showed the lowest plant height and production, and the highest root length. Overall, drought stress's 15 and 18 days interval treats and also, salinity stress's CaCl2 with 30 g/l concentration had the most negative effect on investigated characteristics.