Effect of Salinity on germination and some seedling characteristics from three provenances of Amygdalus lycioides

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of seed source (provenance) on germination and morphological traits of Amygdalus lycioides saplings in salt stress condition. For this purpose, the seeds of this species collected of three sites (Khoor, Ardestan and Kashan). Salinity treatment were considered at four levels (0, 1.5, 3 and 5 ds/m) of NaCl. The experiment carried as factorial in completely randomized design whit three replicates. The measured variables were germination percentage, germination rate, vigor index, shoot length, radicle length, shoot wet weight, radicle wet weight, shoot dry weight, radicle dry weight and leaf number. Result of analysis of variance and mean comparison showed salinity made significant differences in most of the investigated traits. The best response was at Ardestan provenance in control level, but this provenance indicated more sensitive in salt stress. The least sensitive was observed at Kashan provenance. Therefore, without salt stress condition, Ardestan was the best of all studied provenances, but in salt stress conditions, Kashan provenance is preferred.