Aidin Hamidi, Bita Oskuoei, Ali Shayanfar,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (3-2025)
Abstract
Extended abstract
Introduction: Salicornia is a halophyte plant which cultivation is important for reclamation of saline soils and producing fodder. Seed germination has always been of interest to plant ecologists due to its key role in plant population establishment. Also, due to the importance of this process in seed certification, this phenomenon is of interest to control and seed certification experts. Temperature, access to sufficient humidity, and the presence of light in light-sensitive species for seed germination are considered to be the most important natural factors for seed germination. Additionally, the time required for germination and sufficient early seedling growth are important to determine the potential seed germination. Therefore, determining the temperature, the need or lack of light, as well as the time required for germination and the suitable substrate for planting seeds, are of great importance in the process of seed certification laboratory tests. This experiment was conducted to investigate the optimal conditions of temperature, light, duration, and substrate for seed germination of three Salicornia species.
Materials and Methods: A preliminary study was conducted to determine the light requirements, duration, and suitable substrate for the standard germination test of Salicornia persica, S. persepolitana, and S. bigelovi, seeds. Since no difference was observed in the percentage of seedlings emerging in light and darkness (seeds of the studied Salicornia species germinated under light and dark conditions) and maximum seed germination was achieved within 7 and 12 days in the substrate between germination paper (BP) and top of paper (TP), at constant temperatures of 20°C and 25 °C and alternating temperatures of 20-25 °C (8-16 hours/day-night), the main experiment was carried out under these conditions.
Results: The results showed that the seeds of S. bigelovi species had the highest percentage of normal seedlings at 25 °C constant temperature for 7 days in the top-of-paper (TP) substrate. Also, the seeds of S. persica had the highest percentage of normal seedlings at 20-25 °C alternating temperature for 7 days in the top-of-paper (TP) substrate. S. persepolitana seeds at 25 °C constant temperature for 7 days on the top of paper (TP) substrate had the highest percentage of normal seedlings. S. persica, S. bigelovi, and S. persepolitana seeds had a higher percentage of normal seedlings in both germination durations and temperatures, respectively.
Conclusions: The results of the research showed that the seeds of the studied Salicornia species did not require light for germination. Also, the studied Salicornia species in the research had significant differences in terms of temperature, duration, and optimal substrate for the standard germination test. So that the optimal temperature for germination of S. persica seeds was alternative temperature and the optimal temperature for germination of S. bigelovii and S. perspolitana seeds were constant temperature. The constant temperature for germination of S. bigelovii species seeds was higher than the constant temperature for germination of S. perspolitana seeds. Also, the top of paper (TP) substrate was suitable for the standard germination test of all three species.
Highlights:
- Light was not necessary for the studied Salicornia species seeds' germination.
- The germination response of the seeds of the studied Salicornia species to the optimum germination temperature and duration varied.
- The studied Salicornia species did not differ significantly in terms of suitable growing medium for seed germination.
