Role of salt stress on seed germination and growth of jojoba plant Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider

Abstract

An extensive problem in agriculture is the accumulation of salts from irrigation water. Evaporation and transpiration remove pure water from the soil. This water loss concentrates solutes in the soil. When irrigation water contains a high concentration of solutes, salts can reach rapidly injurious levels vis-a-vis salt-sensitive species. One factor limiting jojoba plant ( Simmondsia chinensis (Link) Schneider) domestication in the oriental areas of Morocco is the damage caused by salt effect since irrigation enhances salinity in plantation soils. The objectives of this study were to define the effect of various NaCl concentration levels on plant growth and seed germination. The tolerance to salinity of jojoba seed and seedlings was assessed at NaCl concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 g l −1 and the experiment was undertaken in the laboratory under greenhouse conditions. Results obtained show that more than half of the seeds germinated in the presence of 7g/l of NaCl; whereas 5g/l of NaCl inhibited completely the emergence of plumules. Concerning jojoba seedlings, 3 g/l of NaCl marked the start of negative affect on the growth.