Abstract:

Salinity is becoming more prevalent as the intensity of agriculture increases. One major constraint to seed germination is salinity. Water salinity may affect the germination of seed either by creating an osmotic potential external to the seed preventing water uptake, or through the toxic effects of Na and Cl ions on the germination seeds. Seed germination is of great importance, because poor crop frequently a result of failure to obtain satisfactory stand. Seeds of the three tested sunflower genotypes (Euroflor, Vidoc and Sakha-53) were subjected for 48 hours, before sowing to the priming treatments. Nine treatments (I-IX), were tested including the dry seeds (treatment I), which served as control. The second (II) and third (III) treatments seeds were continuously soaked for 48 hours in Tap water or saline solution of 3000 ppm, respectively, i.e., the direct shock method. For the other treatments (IV-IX), the mixtures of saline solution + antioxidant organic acids were used for seed priming using gradual and shock methods. Promising results were obtained with a beneficial response in the order of Oxalic> Ascorbic> Salicylic, especially when used as mixture solutions (200ppm acid) with 3000 ppm salinity level and Sakha-53 gave the best results followed by Euroflor with respect to germination percentage, M.T.S.G., consequently seedling growth..The priming of seeds had been reported to result in better seedling growth under saline water stress conditions

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