ABSTRACT
Seed germination usually occurs early in the growing season or during a period when soil salinity levels are reduced, allowing for the establishment of seedlings prior to the period of greatest salt stress. Several researchers have reported the occurrence of variation in salt tolerance between closely related species and among populations or ecotypes within a plant species. Specific ion toxicity effects were found by S. Z. Hyder and S. Yasmin to be more important than osmotic effects in determining seed germination responses to salinity of the inland North American halophyte Sporobolus airoides. The ionic content of seeds has been determined for a number of species of halophytes. One of the characteristics of many halophytes is that their seeds are subjected to some degree of seed dormancy. Leek et al. described the relationship between seed banks and plant communities as involving seed longevity and germination characteristics, surface vegetation, seed rain, age of wetland, and herbivory.
