EFFECT OF COMPATIBLE OSMOTICA AND PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS IN ALLEVIATING SALINITY STRESS ON THE SEED GERMINATION OF ALLENROLFEA OCCIDENTALIS

Allenrolfea occidentalis, a perennial halophytic shrub in the family Chenopodiaceae is widely distributed in the inland salt marshes and salt playas of western United States. Experiments were conducted to determine the influence of compatible osmotica (betaine and proline) and growth regulators (gibberellic acid and kinetin) in alleviating salinity stress on the seed germination of A. occidentalis. Seed germination decreased with an increase in salinity stress and no seed germinated at 800 mM NaCl. Compatible osmotica and growth regulators were able to counteract the inhibitory effect of salinity. Betaine (0.1 and 1.0 mM) and proline (0.1 and 1.0 mM) completely alleviated the salinity-enforced dormancy at all treatments. Gibberellic acid (0.3 and 3.0 mM) and kinetin (0.05 and 0.5 mM) significantly (p<0.0001) improved the seed germination inhibited by NaCl but the gibberellic acid alleviated more than kinetin. At higher salinity, 800 mM NaCl low concentration of kinetin (0.05 mM) and gibberellic acid (0.3 mM) were more effective