Effect of diffrent levels of salinity stress on seed germination components of four sesame (Sesameum indicum L.) cultivars

Salinity stress and its control which has been a major problem in agriculture since thousand years ago, can be considered as the main cause of reduction of production ability of arable lands in many countries. To evaluate the effects of different salinitylevels on seed germination components of four sesame cultivars Oltan, Darab 1,Dashtestan, and Mehr Sabzevar, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications was carried out in seed physiology lab. at Islamic Azad University of Bojnord. Salt treatments at 5 levels (0,4,6,8, and 10 ds/m)were applied with sodium chloride. Seeds of each cultivars were planted in plastic plates (5×8×11cm) containing different levels of salinity. Based on the analysis of data on seed germination and germination components, it was revealed that percentage and rate of seed germination were decreased with increasing salinity levels in all cultivars. Other germination components i.e. length of both radicle and plumle was also decreased. Cultivar Oltan was less affected by salt stress compared to the other cultivars.