EFFECTS OF SEEDS PRIMING WITH PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF HARGEL (SOLENOSTEMMA ARGEL (DEL.) HAYNE) UNDER SALINITY STRESS

Salt stress is a wide-reaching problem, and new strategies are required to alleviate this problem. This study was designed to define whether seed treated with plant hormones can reduce the negative impacts of salt stress on Hargel (Solenostemma argel (Del.) Hayne) during seeds germination and seedling growth. Hargel seeds were presoaked with plant hormones at the rate of 0.0 mM without hormone (CK), 0.144, 0.288 mM of gibberellic acid (GA(3)), 0.362, 0.724 mM of salicylic acid (SA), and 0.285, 0.571 mM of indole acetic acid (IAA). Seeds were treated with salinized water at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl. The research was designed in CRD as a factorial experiment while each treatment was replicated thrice. The interaction between salinity and growth hormones significantly influenced water uptake at 24 h, shoot length, root length and root fresh weight. At 100 mM NaCl, the dose of 0.288 mM GA3 increased root length by 19%; in addition, the dose of 0.724 mM SA increased shoot length by 57.5% and root length by 19.0%. However, the dose of 0.285 mM IAA increased by 139.2%, while the dose of 0.571 mM IAA increased water uptake after 24 h by 31.0% compared to 0.0 mM without hormone at 100 mM NaCl. These findings suggest that using 0.288 mM GA(3), 0.724 mM SA, and 0.285 mM IAA in proper concentration might reduce inhibitory effects of salinity stress on Hargel.