Effects of different treatments on dormancy breaking and seed germination stimulation of Berberis vulgaris

Common barberry is an important species due to its high medicinal and nutritional value, prevention of soil erosion and use in green areas. So, its seeds were collected from Kelardasht, Mazandran provice. Seeds were affected by different treatments such as salicylic acid, gibberellic acid, ascorbic acid and hydrogen peroxide and germination indices such as percentage, speed, time and vigor index were evaluated. Experiment was carry out based on randomized complete blocks with four replications. According to the results of the study, common barberry seeds under the influence of ascorbic acid, salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide treatments, were better than control in all physiological indices. However, in gibberellic acid treatment with increasing concentration, growth rate and germination increased and the best results were obtained at 1000 parts/million concentration. Ascorbic acid treatments with 200 mg.L-1 concentration showed the lowest rate of germination and growth. Therefore, with the exception of gibberellic acid, all treatments were not suitable as agents for improving germination and establishment under environmental stress. But gibberellic acid treatment with a concentration of 1000 parts/million can be suitable treatment to improve germination. Therefore, due to the high medicinal value of this species, it is suggested that other dormancy breaking treatments be tested in order to select the best and most cost-effective treatment.