Role of calcium in alleviating effect of salinity on germination of Phragmites karka seeds

Abstract

AbstractPhragmites karka (Retz.) Trin, ex. steud, a perennial reed with creeping rhizome from the family Poaceae, is distributed as pure population in brackish water swamps. Populations primarily propagate using ramets but also produce numerous seeds which form part of the seed bank after dispersal and are exposed to extremes of temperature, drought, and salinity stress. Seeds were germinated under a range of salinity (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500mM NaCl) and temperature (10/20°C, 15/25°C, 20/30°C, 25/35°C, night/day) regimes in 12h light:12h dark photoperiod or in complete darkness with 0, 5, 10, 25mM CaCl2. Salinity, absence of light and high temperature (25/35°C) reduced germination while calcium generally reversed this effect, more so at cooler temperature regimes. Calcareous soil around Karachi would help alleviate the salinity effect on the germination of P. karka and facilitate its survival