Effects of salinity on seed germination, seedling growth and survival of Spartina ciliata Brong

Cordazzo, César Vieira

doi:10.1590/S0102-33061999000300012

Abstracts

The effects of different salinities on the germination of Spartina ciliata seeds were tested during 40 days in the laboratory, using six concentrations of NaCl (0,45, 80, 130, 170 and 215 mM) besides three concentrations of seawater (25,30 and 35‰). In addition, the survival and growth of seedlings were tested in five constant salinity regimes (0,45, 80 and 170 mM NaCl) as well as in five regimes of simulating seawater overwash. The results showed that seeds possed a high germination capacity over a wide range of salinities (0 to 215 mM NaCl). Although concentrations close to full-strength seawater completely inhibited seed germination, the transfer of the ungerminated seeds to freshwater immediately stimulated this. The effects of salinity on seedling growth showed that shoot height and root length were the variables most sensitive to salt stress. Frequent overwash with seawater significantly reduced the survival and growth of Spartina ciliata seedlings. The success in seed germination, survival, and growth of Spartina ciliata in salinities above those normally found in the natural environment could explain the species being distributed throughout salt-stressed foredune habitats in southern Brazil.

salinity stress; seed germination; seedling growth; coastal dune plant; Spartina ciliata

O efeito de diferentes salinidades sobre a germinação das sementes de Spartina ciliata foi testado em laboratório ao longo de 40 dias, usando seis concentrações de NaCl (0,45, 80, 130, 170 e 215 mM NaCl) e em três concentrações de água do mar (25, 30 e 35‰). Adicionalmente a sobrevivência e crescimento das plântulas foram testados em cinco regimes de salinidade (0,45,80,130 e 170 mM NaCl) assim como, em cinco regimes de inundação com água do mar. Os resultados mostraram que as sementes apresentam alta capacidade germinativa numa grande amplitude de salinidades (0 a 215 mM NaCl). Apesar de concentrações próximas as da água do mar terem inibido completamente a germinação, a transferencia das sementes que não germinaram para água doce, estimulou, imediatamente, a germinação. O efeito da salinidade no crescimento das plântulas mostrou que a altura das hastes e comprimento das raízes foram as variáveis mais sensíveis ao estresse salino. Frequentes alagamentos com água do mar reduziram significativamente a sobrevivência e o crescimento das plântulas de Spartina ciliata. O sucesso na germinação, sobrevivência e crescimento de Spartina ciliata em salinidades acimas daquelas normalmente encontradas no ambiente natural poderiam explicar a distribuição da espécie ao longo dos hábitats estressados por sal nas dunas costeiras no extremo sul do Brasil.

estresse salino; germinação de sementes; crescimento das plântulas; plantas de dunas costeiras; Spartina ciliata

Effects of salinity on seed germination, seedling growth and survival of Spartina ciliata Brong

Efeitos da salinidade sobre a germinação, crescimento e sobrevivência das plântulas de Spartina ciliata Brong

César Vieira Cordazzo

Laboratório de Comunidades Vegetais Costeiras, Departamento de de Oceanografia, Fundação Universidade do Rio Grande, C. Postal 474, CEP 96201-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil

ABSTRACT

The effects of different salinities on the germination of Spartina ciliata seeds were tested during 40 days in the laboratory, using six concentrations of NaCl (0,45, 80, 130, 170 and 215 mM) besides three concentrations of seawater (25,30 and 35). In addition, the survival and growth of seedlings were tested in five constant salinity regimes (0,45, 80 and 170 mM NaCl) as well as in five regimes of simulating seawater overwash. The results showed that seeds possed a high germination capacity over a wide range of salinities (0 to 215 mM NaCl). Although concentrations close to full-strength seawater completely inhibited seed germination, the transfer of the ungerminated seeds to freshwater immediately stimulated this. The effects of salinity on seedling growth showed that shoot height and root length were the variables most sensitive to salt stress. Frequent overwash with seawater significantly reduced the survival and growth of Spartina ciliata seedlings. The success in seed germination, survival, and growth of Spartina ciliata in salinities above those normally found in the natural environment could explain the species being distributed throughout salt-stressed foredune habitats in southern Brazil.

Key words: salinity stress, seed germination, seedling growth, coastal dune plant, Spartina ciliata

RESUMO

O efeito de diferentes salinidades sobre a germinação das sementes de Spartina ciliata foi testado em laboratório ao longo de 40 dias, usando seis concentrações de NaCl (0,45, 80, 130, 170 e 215 mM NaCl) e em três concentrações de água do mar (25, 30 e 35). Adicionalmente a sobrevivência e crescimento das plântulas foram testados em cinco regimes de salinidade (0,45,80,130 e 170 mM NaCl) assim como, em cinco regimes de inundação com água do mar. Os resultados mostraram que as sementes apresentam alta capacidade germinativa numa grande amplitude de salinidades (0 a 215 mM NaCl). Apesar de concentrações próximas as da água do mar terem inibido completamente a germinação, a transferencia das sementes que não germinaram para água doce, estimulou, imediatamente, a germinação. O efeito da salinidade no crescimento das plântulas mostrou que a altura das hastes e comprimento das raízes foram as variáveis mais sensíveis ao estresse salino. Frequentes alagamentos com água do mar reduziram significativamente a sobrevivência e o crescimento das plântulas de Spartina ciliata. O sucesso na germinação, sobrevivência e crescimento de Spartina ciliata em salinidades acimas daquelas normalmente encontradas no ambiente natural poderiam explicar a distribuição da espécie ao longo dos hábitats estressados por sal nas dunas costeiras no extremo sul do Brasil.

Palavras-chave: estresse salino, germinação de sementes, crescimento das plântulas, plantas de dunas costeiras, Spartina ciliata.

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Acknowledgments

The Author thanks the Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS) for financial support (Proc. No. 98/0340-5) and Dr. Ulrich Seeliger for his useful comments.

Recebido em 03/02/1999.

Aceito em 14/10/1999

Bastos, E. O.; Perazzolo, M.; & Gõrgen, A. U. G. 1993. Ocorrência e estrutura de glândula de sal em espécies halófitas no município do Rio Grande, RS. Iheringia, Série Botânica 43: 3-14.
Barbour, M. G. 1970. Germination and early growth of the strand plant Cakile maritima. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 99: 11-16.
Bazzaz, F. A. 1973. Seed germination in relation to salt concentration in three populations of Prosopis farcta. Oecologia 13: 73-80.
Bidwell, R. G. S. 1979. Plant physiology. 2ed. Edition. MacMillan Publishing Co., New York.
Blits, K. C. & Gallagher, J. L. 1991. Morphological and physiological responses to increased salinity in marsh and dune ecotypes of Sporobulus virginicus (L.) Kunth. Oecologia 87: 330-335.
Brandy, C. J.; Gibson, T. S.; Barlow, E. W. R.; Speirs, J. & Wyn Jones, R. G. 1984. Salt-tolerance in plants. I. Ions, compatible organic solutes and the stability of plant ribosomes. Plant, Cell and Environment 7: 571-578.
Brownell, P. F. & Crossland, C. J. 1972. The requirement for sodium as a micronutrient by species having the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway. Plant Physiology 49: 794-797.
Cordazzo, C. V. 1985. Taxonomia e ecologia da vegetação das dunas costeiras ao sul do Cassino (RS). Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade do Rio Grande, Rio Grande.
Cordazzo, C. V. 1994. Comparative population studies of four dominant plants of Southern Brazilian coastal dunes. Ph.D. Thesis, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Darwin, C. 1857. On the action of sea-water on the germination of seeds. Journal of the Linnean Society (Botany)1: 130-140.
Flowers, T. J.; Trokr, P. F. & Yeo, A. R. 1977. The mechanism of salt tolerance in halophytes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 28: 89-121.
Grattan, S. R. & Grive, C. M. 1993. Mineral nutrient acquisition and response by plants grown in saline environment Pp. 203-226. In: M. Pessarakli (ed.), Handbook of plant and crop stress. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.
Greenway, H. & Munns, R. 1980. Mechanisms of salt tolerance in non-halophytes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 31: 149-190.
Greipsson, S. & Davy, A. J. 1994. Germination of Leymus arenarius and its significance for land reclamation in Iceland. Annals of Botany 73: 393-401.
Hocking, P. J. 1982. Salt and mineral nutrient levels in fruits of two strand species, Cakile maritima and Arctotheca populifolia, with special reference to the effect of salt on the germination of Cakile. Annals of Botany 50: 335-343.
Ignaciuk, R. & Lee, J. A. 1980. The germination of four annual strand-line species. New Phytologist 84: 581-591.
Larher, F. & Hamelin, J. 1975. Mise en evidence de l'acide 2tri methyl amine 6-ceto-heptanoique dans les rameaux de Limonium vulgare. Phytochemistry 14: 1798-1800.
Lesko, G. L. & Walker, R. B. 1969. Effect of sea water on seed germination in two Pacific atoll beach species. Ecology 50: 730-734.
Liphchitz, N. & Waisel, Y. 1982. Adaptation of plants to saline environments: salt excretion and glandular structure Pp. 197-214. In: D. N. Sen & K. S. Rajpurohit (Ed.), Contributions to the ecology of halophytes. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Martinez, M. L.; Valverde, T. & Moreno-Casasola, P. 1992. Germination response to temperature, salinity, light and depth of sowing of ten tropical dune species. Oecologia 92: 343-353.
Maun, A. M.; Boyd, R. S. & Olson, L. 1990. The biological flora of coastal dunes and wetlands. 1. Cakile edentula (Bigel.)Hook. Journal of Coastal Research 6: 137-156.
Naidoo, G. & Naicker, K. 1992. Seed germination in the coastal halophytes Triglochim bulbosa and Triglochin striata. Aquatic Botany 42: 217-229.
Redmann, R. E. 1974. Osmotic and specific ion effects on the germination of alfalfa. Canadian Journal of Botany 52: 803-808.
Rozema, J. 1975. The influence of salinity, inundation and temperature on the germination of some halophytes and non-halophytes. Oecologia Plantarum 10: 341-353.
Seneca, E. D. 1969. Germination response to temperature and salinity of four dune grasses from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ecology 50: 45-53.
Seneca, E. D.1972. Seedling response to salinity in four dune grasses from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ecology 53: 465-471.
Shipley, B. & Parent, M. 1991. Germination responses of 64 wetland species in relation to seed size, minimum time to reproduction and seedling relative growth rate. Functional Ecology 5: 111-118.
Smith, B. N. & Brown, W. V. 1973. The Kranz syndrome in the Gramineae as indicated by carbon isotopic ratios. American Journal of Botany 60: 505-513.
Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, F. J. 1981. Biometry. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
Stewart, G. R.; Larher, F.; Ahmad, I & Lee, J. A. 1979. Nitrogen metabolism and salt-tolerance in higher plant halophytes Pp. 211-227. In: R. L. Jefferies & A. J. Davy. (Ed.) Ecological processes in coastal environments. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.
Sykes, M. T. & Wilson, J. B. 1989. The effect of salinity on growth of some New Zealand sand dune species. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 38: 173-182.
Ungar, I. A. 1962. Influence of salinity on seed germination in succulent halophytes. Ecology 43: 763-764.
Ungar, I. A. 1974. The effect of salinity and temperature on seed germination and growth of Hordeum jubatum. Canadian Journal of Botany 52: 1357-1362.
Ungar, I. A. 1978. Halophyte seed germination. Botanical Review 44: 233-264.
Ungar, I. A. 1982. Germination ecology of halophytes Pp. 143- 154 In: D. N. Sen & K. S. Rajpurohit (Ed.), Contributions to the ecology of halophytes. Dr. W. Junk Publishes, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Ungar, I. A. & Hogan, W.C. 1970. Seed germination in Iva annua L. Ecology 51: 150-154.
Woodell, S. R. J. 1985. Salinity and seed germination in coastal plants. Vegetatio 61: 223-230.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
26 May 2011
Date of issue
Dec 1999

History

Accepted
14 Oct 1999
Received
03 Feb 1999

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

[1] Bastos, E. O.; Perazzolo, M.; & Gõrgen, A. U. G. 1993. Ocorrência e estrutura de glândula de sal em espécies halófitas no município do Rio Grande, RS. Iheringia, Série Botânica 43: 3-14.

[2] Barbour, M. G. 1970. Germination and early growth of the strand plant Cakile maritima. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 99: 11-16.

[3] Bazzaz, F. A. 1973. Seed germination in relation to salt concentration in three populations of Prosopis farcta. Oecologia 13: 73-80.

[4] Bidwell, R. G. S. 1979. Plant physiology. 2ed. Edition. MacMillan Publishing Co., New York.

[5] Blits, K. C. & Gallagher, J. L. 1991. Morphological and physiological responses to increased salinity in marsh and dune ecotypes of Sporobulus virginicus (L.) Kunth. Oecologia 87: 330-335.

[6] Brandy, C. J.; Gibson, T. S.; Barlow, E. W. R.; Speirs, J. & Wyn Jones, R. G. 1984. Salt-tolerance in plants. I. Ions, compatible organic solutes and the stability of plant ribosomes. Plant, Cell and Environment 7: 571-578.

[7] Brownell, P. F. & Crossland, C. J. 1972. The requirement for sodium as a micronutrient by species having the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway. Plant Physiology 49: 794-797.

[8] Cordazzo, C. V. 1985. Taxonomia e ecologia da vegetação das dunas costeiras ao sul do Cassino (RS). Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade do Rio Grande, Rio Grande.

[9] Cordazzo, C. V. 1994. Comparative population studies of four dominant plants of Southern Brazilian coastal dunes. Ph.D. Thesis, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.

[10] Darwin, C. 1857. On the action of sea-water on the germination of seeds. Journal of the Linnean Society (Botany)1: 130-140.

[11] Flowers, T. J.; Trokr, P. F. & Yeo, A. R. 1977. The mechanism of salt tolerance in halophytes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 28: 89-121.

[12] Grattan, S. R. & Grive, C. M. 1993. Mineral nutrient acquisition and response by plants grown in saline environment Pp. 203-226. In: M. Pessarakli (ed.), Handbook of plant and crop stress. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.

[13] Greenway, H. & Munns, R. 1980. Mechanisms of salt tolerance in non-halophytes. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 31: 149-190.

[14] Greipsson, S. & Davy, A. J. 1994. Germination of Leymus arenarius and its significance for land reclamation in Iceland. Annals of Botany 73: 393-401.

[15] Hocking, P. J. 1982. Salt and mineral nutrient levels in fruits of two strand species, Cakile maritima and Arctotheca populifolia, with special reference to the effect of salt on the germination of Cakile. Annals of Botany 50: 335-343.

[16] Ignaciuk, R. & Lee, J. A. 1980. The germination of four annual strand-line species. New Phytologist 84: 581-591.

[17] Larher, F. & Hamelin, J. 1975. Mise en evidence de l'acide 2tri methyl amine 6-ceto-heptanoique dans les rameaux de Limonium vulgare. Phytochemistry 14: 1798-1800.

[18] Lesko, G. L. & Walker, R. B. 1969. Effect of sea water on seed germination in two Pacific atoll beach species. Ecology 50: 730-734.

[19] Liphchitz, N. & Waisel, Y. 1982. Adaptation of plants to saline environments: salt excretion and glandular structure Pp. 197-214. In: D. N. Sen & K. S. Rajpurohit (Ed.), Contributions to the ecology of halophytes. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands.

[20] Martinez, M. L.; Valverde, T. & Moreno-Casasola, P. 1992. Germination response to temperature, salinity, light and depth of sowing of ten tropical dune species. Oecologia 92: 343-353.

[21] Maun, A. M.; Boyd, R. S. & Olson, L. 1990. The biological flora of coastal dunes and wetlands. 1. Cakile edentula (Bigel.)Hook. Journal of Coastal Research 6: 137-156.

[22] Naidoo, G. & Naicker, K. 1992. Seed germination in the coastal halophytes Triglochim bulbosa and Triglochin striata. Aquatic Botany 42: 217-229.

[23] Redmann, R. E. 1974. Osmotic and specific ion effects on the germination of alfalfa. Canadian Journal of Botany 52: 803-808.

[24] Rozema, J. 1975. The influence of salinity, inundation and temperature on the germination of some halophytes and non-halophytes. Oecologia Plantarum 10: 341-353.

[25] Seneca, E. D. 1969. Germination response to temperature and salinity of four dune grasses from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ecology 50: 45-53.

[26] Seneca, E. D.1972. Seedling response to salinity in four dune grasses from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Ecology 53: 465-471.

[27] Shipley, B. & Parent, M. 1991. Germination responses of 64 wetland species in relation to seed size, minimum time to reproduction and seedling relative growth rate. Functional Ecology 5: 111-118.

[28] Smith, B. N. & Brown, W. V. 1973. The Kranz syndrome in the Gramineae as indicated by carbon isotopic ratios. American Journal of Botany 60: 505-513.

[29] Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, F. J. 1981. Biometry. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.

[30] Stewart, G. R.; Larher, F.; Ahmad, I & Lee, J. A. 1979. Nitrogen metabolism and salt-tolerance in higher plant halophytes Pp. 211-227. In: R. L. Jefferies & A. J. Davy. (Ed.) Ecological processes in coastal environments. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

[31] Sykes, M. T. & Wilson, J. B. 1989. The effect of salinity on growth of some New Zealand sand dune species. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 38: 173-182.

[32] Ungar, I. A. 1962. Influence of salinity on seed germination in succulent halophytes. Ecology 43: 763-764.

[33] Ungar, I. A. 1974. The effect of salinity and temperature on seed germination and growth of Hordeum jubatum. Canadian Journal of Botany 52: 1357-1362.

[34] Ungar, I. A. 1978. Halophyte seed germination. Botanical Review 44: 233-264.

[35] Ungar, I. A. 1982. Germination ecology of halophytes Pp. 143- 154 In: D. N. Sen & K. S. Rajpurohit (Ed.), Contributions to the ecology of halophytes. Dr. W. Junk Publishes, The Hague, The Netherlands.

[36] Ungar, I. A. & Hogan, W.C. 1970. Seed germination in Iva annua L. Ecology 51: 150-154.

[37] Woodell, S. R. J. 1985. Salinity and seed germination in coastal plants. Vegetatio 61: 223-230.