Different Traits Affect Salinity and Drought Tolerance during Germination of Citrullus colocynthis, a Potential Cash Crop in Arid Lands

Citrullus colocynthis, a native plant with potential uses as feedstock for edible oil, biodiesel, and animal feed make it cash crop. The importance of propagating this species under saline arid habitats necessitates understanding environmental factors affecting salinity drought tolerance during the germination stage. Here, we assessed impacts seed collection time, temperature incubation on salinity, stage different accessions growing in botanical garden University Sharjah. No previous study interactive effects these species. Three (9, 10, 13) differed fruit size color, behavior, were selected from an earlier study. Seeds that matured summer winter treated three salinities (0, 50, 100 mM NaCl), PEG levels ?0.3, ?0.6 MPa) incubated at two temperatures (20/30 25/35 °C). results showed significant all (collection temperature, drought, salinity) their interactions percentage. C. colocynthis very sensitive to stress, sensitivity depended time collection, accession, temperature. overall significantly greater seeds accession summer, °C. NaCl solutions was than solutions, indicating more osmotic stress created by NaCl. Moreover, when transferred NaCl, recovery ungerminated solutions. This result indicates detrimental effect could be mainly attributed rather ion-toxicity effects. To adopt crop or restore degraded desert habitats, is recommended use drought- salt-tolerant (e.g., 10), especially those mature summer.