Alleviation of Salt-induced Seed Dormancy in the Perennial Halophyte Crithmum Maritimum L. (apiaceae)

Crithmum maritimum L. (Apiaceae) is a perennial local oilseed halophyte. For a better understanding of the eco-physiology of salt tolerance at the germinative stage of this species, we investigate here the effects of nitrate, thiourea, and priming on its seed germination under saline conditions. Germination was strongly inhibited by increasing salinity. While nitrate supply was effective in alleviating salt-induced seed dormancy under both nonand saline and conditions, thiourea improved germination only at moderate salt concentrations. Priming with both water and NaCl accelerated the germination process on salt free medium, whereas PEG 6000 delayed it in distilled water. The different priming agents used in the present work impaired both germination capacity and germination velocity index at 100 mM NaCl, but seeds remained viable since being able to germinate after their transfer to distilled water.