Plant Growth, Metabolism and Adaptation in Relation to Stress Conditions IV. Effects of Salinity on Certain Factors Associated with the Germination of Three Different Seeds High in Fats

Seeds of flax, cotton and castor beans were germinated in two salt concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 per cent NaCl) over a period of 12 d. The controls showed a continual increase in percentage germination and in water content with time in all three seeds, while there was a continual decrease in dry matter, and in oil content. Salt at the lower concentration caused a marked decrease in each case, the decrease was even more marked at the higher concentration. With the other parameters investigated, namely respiration, glycerol content and lipase activity, there was an increase to a maximum and then a decrease in all controls with time. On the whole, the two salt concentrations caused marked decreases in all these parameters except for respiration in flax when the lower salt concentration caused a significant increase; and for lipase activity which showed a significant increase at the lower salt concentration in both cotton and in castor bean.