Effect of Salinity on Germination and Early Seedling Growth of

Salinity is one of the major stresses especially in arid and semiarid regions which severely affected seed germination, early growth stages and consequently crop production.This research was carried out in order to test the effects of different salinity levels on seed germination and early seedling growth of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).Pot experiment was conducted using completely randomized design in four replications in May 2014 at Faculty of forestry sciences nursery. University of Zalingei, Sudan. Experimental treatments includes 4 levels of Na Cl concentrations (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%).Results showed that the number of germinated seeds, germination percentage,plumule length,radical length, and heaviest wet and dry seedling weights were higher in the control treatment. High salinity level (1.5%) reduced germination percentage significantly (p ≤ 0.05).Maximum germination percentage (98%) was observed in the control treatment and the minimum (58%) was found with 1.5 % Na Cl concentration. Seedling length decreased with increasing NaCl concentration. The differences were highly significant (p ≤ 0.01).The reduction in seedling length were 44%,13.5 % and 2.7 % for 1.5,1.0 and 0.5 % Na Cl concentration relative to control. Seedling fresh and dry weights followed the same trend of seedling length that shoot fresh and dry weights reduced with increasing salinity level, high salinity (1.5%) resulted in highly significant reduction(p ≤ 0.01) in both parameters measured. Although, fresh and dry weights were decreased but the differences when compared the control with 0.5 % and1.0 % were not significant.high salinity (1.5%) decreased fresh weight by39%, While, dry weight reduction was 44.8 % relative to the control