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Germination responses of Spartidium saharae (Coss. & Dur.) Pomel (Fabaceae) to temperature and salinity
Author(s) -
Jamila Zammouri,
Arbi Guetet,
Mohamed Neffati
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2028.2009.01070.x
Subject(s) - germination , salinity , fabaceae , shrub , temperature salinity diagrams , biology , botany , horticulture , habitat , ecology
Spartidium saharae is an endemic species of the Saharo‐Arabian region. It is a tall shrub widely distributed in many sandy habitats including desert dunes and sandy systems in south‐western part of Tunisia, where water and salinity are serious constraints. Laboratory experiments were carried out to assess temperature and salinity effects on seed germination. The seed germination responses were determined in complete darkness over a wide range of temperatures and salinities. Germination was inhibited by either an increase or decrease in temperature from the optimal temperature range (15–20°C). Highest germination percentages were obtained under nonsaline conditions and an increase in NaCl concentrations progressively inhibited seed germination. An interaction between salinity and temperature yielded no germination at 200 m m NaCl.