Effects of Sodium Chloride and Sodium Sulfate on <i>Haloxylon ammodendron</i> Seed Germination

• Main Authors: Zhazira Zhumabekova, Xinwen Xu, Yongdong Wang, Chunwu Song, Alzhan Kurmangozhinov, Dani Sarsekova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: seed germination; <i>H. ammodendron</i>; Na₂SO₄; Bakanas takyr plain; Gobi Desert
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/12/4927

<i>Haloxylon ammodendron</i> is a perennial xerophyte that can survive in extremely harsh desert conditions of Central Asia. This study evaluated the effect of salinity, and their ability to recover on seed germination of <i>H. ammodendron</i>, which were collected at three different desert areas, Bakanas takyr plain (H1), Gurbantüngüt Desert (H2), and Gobi Desert (H3), respectively. Seeds were treated with different concentrations of NaCl and Na₂SO₄ (0.00 (control), 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, 0.80, 1.00, 1.20, and 1.40 mol/L) to detemine the germination and recover ability to salt stress. The results of the study were that <i>H. ammodendron</i> were more resistant to Na₂SO₄ than to NaCl. Regarding inhibition of seed germination <i>H. ammodendron</i> was in the following order: H3 > H2 > H1. Based on the tolerance and recovery, seeds can be demonstrated as follows: NaCl: H3 > H1 > H2; Na₂SO₄: H1 = H2 = H3. Non-germinated seeds in all salt treatments with low osmotic potential showed high recovery when transferred to distilled water, indicating that these treatments were not too toxic to affect seed viability. These results suggest that <i>H. ammodendron</i> can withstand high levels of salinity at three desert environments. Thus, <i>H. ammodendron</i> could be used to reconstruct vegetation and sustanbility development in the desert areas with high salinity.