干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

The effects of NaCl on seed germination were investigated among five nonhalophytes distributed in Chinese desert. To evaluate the specific effects of NaCl on the seeds, germination, viability and water uptake of the seeds in NaCl solutions were compared with those in isotonic solutions of polyethylene glycol-6000. The seeds of the five species in the same habitat showed wide ranges of differences in susceptibility to NaCl both before and after radicle emergence. It is suggested that some species distributed naturally in nonsaline locations are potentially salt-tolerant in the germination stage and can be candidates to be utilized for the rehabilitation of vegetation in salinized locations.