Influences of Salinity, Light and Temperature on Seed Germination of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

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

Abstract

The experiment was investigated to study evaluate the seed germination of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. under salinity, temperature, light and their interaction on the rate and final percentage of germination. The experiment was carried out in plant physiology laboratory at College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The collected seeds of Leucaena was treated with boiling water for 3 minutes then left to germinate in Petri dishes in growth chamber under the investigated treatments. Seven concentrations of sodium chloride solution had EC of (0, 50, 100, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mM) were applied to seeds as irrigation water and exposed to three temperature degree (20, 30 and 40 oC). Seeds untreated with NaCl germinated well in a wide range of temperatures and in both full light and complete dark. Seed germination decreased significantly with the increase in both NaCl concentration and temperature. Optimal germination percentage occurred at 30 oC. The inhibitory effect of high salinity on final germination percentage was greater at 40 oC than at 20 and 30 oC. However, germination rate was significantly greater at 40 oC than at 20 and 30 oC in lower salinity and the reverse was true at higher salinity. Germination in light was significantly greater than in the dark at lower salinity levels and high temperature. 

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